Nightly Rayne
by Princess Misery
Summary: Final chap is up! Roman Pearce always knew two types of rain,the one people hate and the other Rayne O'Connor, Brian's little sister.After some sneaking around,lies and passion Roman realises that Nightly Rayne never hurt anyone until the storm rolls in
1. A Little Closer Than Usual

**Title: **Nightly Rayne

**Author: **SJPearce

**Feed back to: **

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anyone in this story except Rayne and any other character you don't recognizePlease don't sue I don't have much anyway.

**Background: **It's been 2 years since film one and a year since second film. Sweetest Addiction helped me with ideas and wrote parts of this so a HUGE thank you to her. Enjoy and remember to review.

**Summary:** Roman Pearce always knew two types of rain, one was the one everyone knew and most hated, and then there's the other type, Rayne O'Connor, Brian's little sister. A lot of sneaking around, some lies, and definitely some passion, Roman realizes that a little Nightly Rayne never hurt anyone until the storm rolls in.

* * *

**CHAPTER 1 – A Little Closer Than Usual.**

Brian paced up and down the kitchen, looking at the clock every few seconds. It read 1:45 AM. Roman sat at the kitchen table in the house they shared telling him to calm down. Brian didn't listen and rambled on about how anything could have happened and he didn't know where she was or who she was with.

'She' was his sister, Rayne Ashlyn O'Connor. 6 months ago their parents had been killed when a group of 2-4 men broke in to their home and stole all of their money and jewellery, the police had said that their father, Nick a well respected Police officer, had put up a fight resulting in them both being killed. Rayne wasn't home at the time she was at design school in New York, ever since their death Brian had made her move to Miami with him and Roman so he could keep a close eye on her. Except he couldn't keep a close eye on her when he didn't know where she was.

"That Ryan guy is bad news!" Brian stated aloud "he's got the worst reputation with girls and I know he's only using her"

"So what you gonna do, ban her from seeing him?" Roman asked

"If I have to"

Roman laughed "What was the first thing you did when Mom stopped you from seeing Delinda?" Brian's mom had raised Roman after his father took off when he was 3 and his mom was put in to rehab for alcohol and drug abuse when he was 6, ever since he had been Roman O'Connor-Pearce.

"I went to see her" Brian remembered "yeah ok so that wont work but I can tell her he's an ass". Rayne entered the house and didn't bother to close the door quietly knowing her brother would be up waiting to chew her a new ass. "Where the hell have you been?" Brian asked walking in to the hall way.

"Back off Brian, I'm tired I need some sleep" she said beginning to climb the stairs as Roman stood in the door way to the kitchen and hall waiting to play referee in the fight they were about to have.

"maybe you wouldn't be tired if you got home a sensible hour!"

"And what time did you get home Brian? Half hour ago? Tej's party went on for a while" Rayne stopped on the stairs knowing he would only follow her.

"I'm 26 not 19"

"your only 26 according to your birth certificate, listening to you, you sound 46!"

"don't be a smart ass Rayne, your curfew is 12!"

"did you ever stick to your curfew?"

"that's not the point"

"no your right the point is you don't like Ryan, I could come home at any hour as long as I wasn't with him right?"

"YEAH RYAN HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT"

"OH YOU CARE ABOUT MY LIFE NOW DO YOU? YOU DIDN'T CARE A YEAR AGO WHEN YOU WERE OFF PLAYING COP IN LA DID YOU!"

"Ryan's using you Rayne don't you see it?"

"Who's to say I'm not using him huh?" with that she left them to ponder the thought "I'm going to bed" she added walking up the rest of the stairs.

* * *

Rayne walked down the stairs the following day at 10:30 AM thankful her brother was at work so they couldn't continue their argument from the previous night. They use to be so close, Brian was the first person she would run to if she were ever in trouble or needed any kind of help, but ever since he returned home from 'playing cop' in LA things were completely different between them. She didn't understand it, maybe he had changed, maybe she still hadn't forgave him from going to LA in the first place. Whatever it was it was beginning to piss her off that he was always on her case.

"Morning" a topless Roman said sat at the kitchen table reading the paper and drinking a cup of coffee. It was day off from Tej's and he didn't plan on doing much of nothing, just lounging around, maybe he would push himself to playing a little play station but nothing to energy consuming. Races were tonight he needed his energy for that.

"Hey" she replied distantly she was busy thinking about how her and Brian's relationship had changed. Roman watched her cross the kitchen and pour herself a mug of coffee before joining him at the table. She sat watching the liquid in the mug swirl around.

"Big with the thinking this morning?" Roman observed. Rayne looked up from her coffee and smiled at him lightly.

"Sorry I'm didn't get much sleep I'm feel like the living dead"

"You have another nightmare?" Rayne felt like such a baby having nightmares, but they weren't about things that go bump in the night they were of her parents. How they died, begging for their lives, dying in pain, it was always the same dream just a few details changed, things seem to get worse every time.

Rayne had only told Roman, the first time she had had the nightmare she had not been able to get back to sleep so she watched TV in the living room, Roman had come down stairs and found her crying so she had explained.

"Yeah" she sighed "only this time Brian was dead too" she said taking her focus back to her coffee. "But that's just wishful thinking" she joked Roman chuckled.

"That comment about you using Ryan really got to him"

"So what it's ok for you two to sleep around but I can't?" she asked becoming agitated, she was sick of them having a different set of rules to live by than her.

"Are you sleeping around?" he raised his eyebrows. He had grown up with Rayne and Brian; he knew she wouldn't feel awkward about answering the question, although she may avoid it.

"What do you think?" she asked, if Brian had asked her that questions all hell would have broke lose but her and Roman had a special relationship, they found it so easy to talk to each other about anything. They never argued and never had even growing up together. "No I'm not sleeping around" she added before he had chance to reply.

"Good that's my girl" he said.

"No Rome if I were your girl I'd be sleeping around" Roman put his hand over his heart and looked upset, "don't act offended that's how you like your women" she laughed putting her coffee mug in the sink, washing up her mug and keeping her back to him she said "I'm gonna hit the gym you wanna come with? Cause you definitely need to, I've noticed the weight you've put on" Rayne works at the gym and got free membership, she did work out at work when she got the chance but preferred to go on her days off.

He appeared at the side of her and replied "Girl, you're heading for a ass whooping" after flicking water on her from the running cold tap he ran out of the kitchen.

"You can run but you will pay for it eventually" she called after him.

* * *

Locking the front door with his gym bag in hand Roman challenged Rayne to a race "Last one to the gym buys lunch"

"You're on" Rayne said racing down the porch steps and to her car. She had a Yellow Skyline that had customised to the persistence of Roman and Brian, she wasn't bothered what kit her car had on it or the size of the rims or whatever they were called, all she wanted was a car to get her from A-B, but Roman and Brian insisted that they would not and could not associate with a 'standard' car. Leaving the drive before Roman had even started his engine Rayne took off down the road.

"That's the long way round sweet heart" Roman spoke to himself driving off in the opposite direction as Rayne had, confident he would win, he cruised and instead of speeding.

Rayne leant smugly on the bonnet of her car and waited for Roman to pull up besides her. He exited his car shaking his head; how the hell had she got there so fast? "Damn I'm getting hungry already" she said walking in to the gym along side him.

"You wait till I tell your brother you've been speeding"

"You're such a sore loser Rome"

After an hour of working out, Rayne was finishing off on the treadmill besides Roman, he had taken it easy today normally he did weights for almost an hour and all kinds of muscle building exercises but today he wasn't in the mood so he had just done 15 minutes on the bike and the rowing machine, and 30 minutes running. They were having a conversation about Brian and him being 'possessive' as Rayne put it.

"Come on Rome, a curfew at 19, please! I'm 20 in a month and what the hell did he think I did in New York?" she took a deep breathe then continued "go to all my classes, study hard every night, eat a healthy balanced meal and in bed by 11?"

"Isn't that what you do at college?" Roman joked.

"I don't get why he made me drop out? I'm such a burden to him here, why doesn't he just let me go back to New York?"

"Cause your all the family he's got now, he wants to keep you as close as possible and you're not a burden to him"

"Sure feels like it" she said stopping the treadmill and getting off.

"Well you're not, not to either of us"

"Is this the part where you get all soppy and tell me how much you love me?" she asked taking her towel from on top of her bag and dabbing the sweet from her face.

"No this is where I start hoping you don't want anything expensive for lunch" Rayne laughed at him, he was so cheap!

"I fancy Chinese but take out is fine with me babe"

* * *

After eating their Chinese take out, Rayne stood at the sink washing up their plates, there was no point in putting 2 plates and 2 knifes and forks in the dish washer so it was easier to wash them. Roman cleaned the table and then began to dry the plates. Neither one spoke but it was a nice silence. After cleaning the last plate Rayne pulled the plug out, remembering Roman throwing cold water on her earlier she cupped some water in her hands and threw it over Roman as he returned from putting a plate in the cupboard. The water hitting him shocked him and he stopped in his tracks water dripping from his face. Rayne laughed hysterically at his shocked, yet annoyed expression. "So that's funny huh?"

"Like you wouldn't believe" Rayne laughed. He walked closer to the sink and threw water over her, a water fight ensued. Standing practically next to each other at the sink to wet one another they weren't soaking the kitchen just each other. Roman cupped as much water as he could in his hands and then threw it in Rayne's face before she could retaliate he grabbed her hands to stop her. Standing closer than they had been laughing with one another, they stopped and looked deep in to each others eyes. With much hesitation Roman moved in slowly and kissed Rayne. He wasn't sure how she would react or why he kissed her it just seemed so right, she didn't push him away and kissed him passionately back.

Letting go of Rayne's arms he moved his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to his body. She didn't complain and moved willingly moving her arms around his neck. Things didn't get out of hand they just stood kissing for a while, at least ten minutes had passed neither one needing or wanting to come up for air.

"Hey guys, any one home?" Brian called walking in the front door and closing it quietly. Both of them simultaneously pulling apart. Rayne went back to cleaning the soap suds from the sink and Roman continued to dry the last plate. Brian walked in to the kitchen "I've come home for some lunch, wanna join me?"

"We just ate Bro" Roman told him

"I can make you a sandwich though?" Rayne asked.

"Wow, what's wrong with you? Being nice to your big bad brother…" Brian remarked.

"Fine get your own then" she told him retrieving a dry towel from the draw to dry her hands on; she threw the towel on the surface behind her and then left the room.

"I should have just kept my mouth shut and let her make it shouldn't I?" Brian suggested rather than asked Roman who was stood staring at the door where Rayne had just left through.

"Probably." Roman replied.

Brian made himself a sandwich whilst explaining to Roman about how an awkward customer had had him working on the same damn car all morning, wasting his time. Roman wasn't exactly listening, his mind was occupied thinking about what had just happened with Rayne and how much he had enjoyed whatever it was that had just happened.

Rayne came bounding down the stairs having changed from her gym clothes and called in to the kitchen "I'm going out, see you later." she called opening the front door.

"Hold up," Brian called chasing after her out of the kitchen and through the front door; Rayne unlocked her car with the fob and stopped hearing Brian call her name as he ran out of the house. "I wanna talk to you."

"Can it wait till later?" she asked, she just wanted to get out of there, away from Roman, away from Brian and his cop sense or spider sense as Roman called it. She didn't want to be around if and when Brian realised something had gone on between her and Roman.

"No I wanna talk to you now, I've made some decisions." Brian told her with as much of a sincere voice he could, he know making her think they were going to argue would just make her leave but if he could let her know they were going to have an adult discussion she may stay.

"You coming to races tonight?" Roman called from the porch.

"Maybe, depends what Suki wants to do." Rayne replied avoiding eye contact with him.

"Rayne please we need to talk." Brian pleaded

"About what?"

"I've been really hard on you lately and I'm sorry, I was wrong to give you a curfew and even if I don't like Ryan, I should trust your judgement."

"Yeah well, sometimes even my judgements are wrong. We broke up/" she told him.

Brian wanted to jump in the air and scream woohoo but he fought the urge "so we're cool?" he asked doing his best puppy dog eyes.

"We're cool bro, now can I get out of here?"

"What's the hurry?" Roman asked from the porch.

Rayne didn't reply to Roman "I'll see you later Bri."

"Yeah sure". She got in to her car as Brian turned and walked up the path to the house; Roman watched Rayne drive off then went back in to the house.

* * *

Please review, good or bad but be constructive if its bad! 


	2. Pushing For Answers

**CHAPTER 2 – Pushing For Answers**

Rayne drove to Tej's garage in autopilot, she was to busy racking her brains about how she could have let something as major as kissing her brothers best friend happen! She was smarter than that, she didn't go diving in to bad situations head first, she always thought things out, in fact she always over thought things! She should have pulled away the second he moved in! What the hell was she going to do? She couldn't look at Roman the same way again; she probably wouldn't be able to look at him at all again.

Pulling up outside Tej's she didn't even bother to park properly she exited the car locked it with the fob whilst walking up to the garage and yelled Suki, who had her head buried in her lap top. "Suki" she turned around to see Rayne a smile spread across her face.

"She can take a break right, Tej?" Rayne asked standing besides Suki, "I really need to talk to her."

"Depends what it's about?" Tej inquired.

"Men or a man should I say, I mean if she can't take a break we could always talk here about all of our mushy feelings about them, how good looking they are, how much we love them."

"She can take a break." Tej made the wise choice. Rayne asked if they could go somewhere private to talk, making Suki realise it was serious, heading towards the office Suki asked what was going on. Rayne didn't answer not wanting anyone in the garage to hear her. Closing the door behind her Rayne made sure no one was walking towards the office. Tej stared at his girlfriend and her best friend suspiciously but went back to his work when Rayne smiled uncomfortably at him.

Although Suki was 3 years Rayne's senior they were still like peas in a pod, it probably helped that they had grown up together and that Rayne was very mature for a 19 year old.

Suki had made herself comfortable in the sofa that Tej decided he needed for customers to sit on whilst they waited, although most of his customers where racers so they mostly stood by the mechanic working on their car and made conversation. Suki was clearly looking forward to what she was about to be told, she had a huge smile on her face waiting to hear the gossip. Rayne sat down besides her and wasn't sure where to begin, she thought about swearing Suki to secrecy but she knew already she wouldn't need to say it, Suki knew the score.

"So… come on spill 'cause I can tell this is gonna be good." Suki demanded eagerly.

Rayne stood up and began to pace up and down in front of her, she was fiddling with her hands nervously, "I don't even know how it happened? One minute we're messing around the next we're in this lip lock for like 15 minutes. I never meant for it to happen, it didn't even cross my mind till he kissed me!" Rayne blurted out.

"Wow …slow down honey, who kissed you?"

Rayne looked around the room before answering just to make sure one last time that no one was in the room or listening "Roman." Rayne sighed slumping down on the couch beside Suki.

"Ah wow, this is great" Suki said she began rambling on about how great it was going to be that Rayne and Roman were together, it meant they could go on a double date with herself and Tej. Suki relished on the fact that their boyfriends were already friends and that meant they all got along already. Rayne got up shaking her head that Suki thought this was a good thing; she walked to the office door and opened it making Tej almost fall through it from eavesdropping.

"Get in here." Rayne ordered him, "and talk some sense in to your girlfriend."

"What?" Suki asked coming out of her dream land. Rayne closed the door again and leaned on the disorganized desk.

"Brian." Tej reminded her sitting beside her and placing his hand on her exposed leg.

"Oh…right" Suki sighed

"Yeah oh, god what if he finds out? He'll kill the both of us."

"Slow down, what did Roman say after? Was he sorry? Shocked? What?" Tej asked trying to be rational and get all the facts before he gave Rayne any advice.

"Brian walked in and I bailed. But your right, he isn't gonna want a relationship; it was just the heat of the moment. I'm worrying over nothing, it didn't mean anything."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Tej said under his breath.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Rayne come on, things have been different between the two of you since you came home from New York," Tej explained "you've been really close and not the sister brother close you use to be"

"So what you saying? This was like inevitable?"

"Yeah."

"Shit Tej, that's not what I needed to hear!"

"Talk to him," Suki suggested, "see how he feels then worry" Rayne wasn't sure what planet everyone was on? Why the hell would their relationship change? She didn't feel like it had up until they kissed? How the hell had it gone from a brother and sister relationship to them kissing?

"Brian's back," Tej said looking through the window of the office "talk to Rome." he advised before leaving the office to greet Brian.

"I can't, not yet." Rayne told Suki.

"Come on, we'll go to my place, you can get ready for races there and talk to Roman tonight. That way there's no chance of a repeat performance cause Brian will be there plus other people."

Rayne was thankful, she didn't want to go home and get ready with Roman and Brian, it would have been too awkward. This way she could talk to him alone with out things looking suspicious. Luckily Rayne had some clothes at Suki's they often got ready to go out at each other's houses therefore, both of them had clothes at the others house.

* * *

Suki and Rayne didn't leave for races when Tej did, he was always there earlier than everyone else, he had to prepare things. Rayne didn't want to be there before Roman, she didn't want to make an entrance she wanted to hide among the other racers. 9 o'clock rolled around a lot faster than Rayne would have liked but it was time to leave and she didn't have a choice, Suki was having none of it when Rayne decided she didn't want to go to races.

"Suki I really think this is a bad idea"

"No it's not, you don't show up and avoid Rome, Brian will definitely know something is going on." Rayne began to give her poor reasons for avoiding Rome and Suki told her to suck it up as Rayne parked her car besides Tej's. Brian and Roman were stood with Tej and Jimmy laughing about something. Suki and Rayne exited the car looking over at the guys who all turned to watch the girls walk towards them.

Rayne avoided eye contact with Roman and just looked from Brian to Tej. "We need to get this started." Tej announced after kissing Suki.

"You want first or second race Rome?" Brian asked

"Second's cool with me." Roman replied. Brian nodded and took off at a jog to line his car up on the starting line. Suki, Jimmy, Rayne, Tej and Roman walked to the side of the road off the starting line so the racers could line up. Rayne sat on the bonnet of her car looking around at the racer chasers, she couldn't _stand_ racer chasers, they pissed her off big time. They were cheap and nasty; they were embarrassing and gave women with class, like herself, a bad name!

"We need to talk". Rome said placing himself on the bonnet beside her.

"I think you'll be busy." Rayne pointed towards a racer chaser wearing a mini skirt, that may well have been a belt, a black bra and nothing more, walking towards them looking at with lust.

"Hey Melissa." Roman said getting up form the bonnet and walking towards her, he put his arms around her waist and she kissed his cheek leaving a pink lip gloss lip mark. He began whispering something down her ear making her blush and giggle, Rayne watch disgusted. Roman looked out of the corner of his eye and noticed Rayne watching and getting clearly angry. He was glad for her reaction, now he had some idea about how she felt, she obviously felt something for him and the kiss obviously meant something.

* * *

Rayne stood in a corner of Tej's, Suki had been stood with her a few minutes before discussing the whole Roman Melissa situation. Roman and Melissa had spent the better part of the evening eating one another at the party, every time they were in Rayne's view she would move and a few minutes later they seemed to have found where she was and purposely stood where she could see them. Suki assured her he was only doing it to make her jealous, but Rayne wasn't so sure. Maybe he was doing it to make sure Rayne knew the kiss meant nothing to him. Why did she care anyway? Roman meant nothing to her, the kiss meant nothing! Well that's what she tried telling herself anywas.

After Suki walked away to find Tej, Rayne turned to where Roman and Melissa had been stood and found they were gone, she was thankful for it, if she spent one more minute watching them two suck face she would have exploded and hit something or some one!

Watching Rayne talk with Jodie, a girl they had all got to know at races, Roman thought this was his chance to interrupt and talk with Rayne. Walking over holding a bottle of Corona and a can of Pepsi he leant close to her ear "do I not get a congratulatory kiss?" he asked. Rayne rolled her eyes and told Jodie she would catch up with her later. Jodie walked away and Rayne turned around to face Roman.

He held out the can of Pepsi to her, she didn't like alcohol, she didn't like the affect it had on other people and didn't care to find out what affect it would have on her, so she didn't drink it.

"Thanks." she took the can from him and opened it before taking a swig.

"So you gonna stop avoiding me now? Don't wanna run away." Roman asked

"Depends if Melissa comes back."

"So you saw that huh?"

"The whole of Miami saw that little display." Rayne looked around nervously; she was feeling both nervous about the conversation with Roman and about her brother seeing them.

"Chill out, to everyone else we're just talking like we usually do."

"Yeah well we were just talking earlier too, before you jumped on me"

"Please, you kissed me."

"I so didn't, you leaped on me." Rayne protested.

"You didn't complain."

"I'm not gonna do this stupid little dance with you Rome," Rayne said before walking away from him.

"Rayne we need to talk." he said grabbing her arm before she could get to far away from him.

She turned to look at him "Yeah well I don't fancy juggling that in between you and Melissa eating each other,"

"You jealous?" he asked.

"Get over yourself." she tried to walk off again but he held his grip on her and stopped her. She turned to look at him again.

"I'm not interested in Melissa."

"And what is this the part where you say you're interested in me?" it wasn't a question more like a sarcastic statement, Rayne noticed Brian coming towards them "Brian's coming." he let go of her arm and turned to look at Brian making his way through the crowd of people dancing. Roman turned to look at Rayne again but she was gone.

* * *

Rayne lay in bed the next morning just after 10.30, she had heard someone leave ten minutes before and it had to have been Roman because there was no sound of Playstation or music coming from downstairs. She figured it was safe to make noise in her room, Roman wasn't home so wouldn't hear her and go in to speak to her; she didn't want to talk him.

After showering in the en-suite bathroom she had begged for the first three months of living there, Rayne straightened her normally wavy hair, then dressed in to a pair of low rider jeans and a black tank top as she pulled the top down over her breasts someone knocked on her bedroom door.

"Yeah" she called, the door opened and Roman walked in.

"I'm on my way out." she told him. He closed her bedroom door behind himself and engaging the deadbolt.

"You ain't going anywhere till we talk." he commanded.

She tried to walk around him "I'm already late Suki's waiting on me." she avoided his intense gaze, staring at the wall behind him.

"I don't give a fuck if you're late, we have to talk. This isn't something you run away from Rayne." He said in a warning tone blocking her path.

"If Brian comes back…"

"Fuck Brian, Rayne tell me how you feel? Stop running away from me, this." He motioned between them

"WHAT IS THIS?" she yelled.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out but you're being a chicken shit and avoiding me!"

"WELL I COULDN'T EXACTLY TALK TO YOU YESTERDAY WHILE MELISSA WAS ATTACHED TO YOUR FACE!"

"That made you jealous." he concluded a triumphant smile on his lips "admit it."

"Get over yourself, get out of my way Rome" she said moving towards the door again.

He walked towards her blocking her path still and making her walk backwards "not until you admit seeing me with Melissa made you jealous? Not till you tell me how you feel?"

"GOD WHY ARE YOU PUSHING THIS? WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?"

"I don't know you tell me." he was teasing her now, knowing he was beginning to piss her off. He wasn't sure if she realized that he was only doing it to get from her what he wanted and what he wanted was answers.

"You're worse than Brian, on my back all the time."

"So what I'm like a bother to you now? Because last I known you don't kiss Brian the way you kissed me!"

"No." she said quickly shaking her head "I don't know."

"Come on Rayne this isn't hard just tell me what your feeling?"

"Right now I'm pissed off."

"You're cute when you're angry. Tell me how you feel!" he demanded almost aggressively. She screamed under her breath in frustration before looking up at him grabbing the back of his head and kissing him. Caught off guard for a second Roman almost fell in to her but gained his balance and kissed her back.

Rayne kissed him hard slipping her arms around his neck to pull him closer. He responded well, kissing her back with equal passion and anticipation. She moved to the bed, knowing it was getting really good. Pushing him down she straddled him, locking their lips once more. Suddenly she pulled away, hopped off the bed and walked to the door un-locking it, she turned her head,

"That's how I fucking feel you ass." She answered walking out and slamming the door.

Sitting staring at the door shocked for a minute he smiled to himself "That's my future wife" he lay back on her bed staring at the ceiling smiling then he heard the front door slam shut, she had ran out again!

* * *

Rayne bounded down the porch steps towards Suki, who sat in her Pink Honda S2000 impatiently waiting for Rayne "What the hell took you so damn long?" Suki looked over at Rayne who was smiling and knew instantly that something had happened with Rome. "Tell me _everything_."

Rayne looked up at the house and saw Roman standing on the porch staring at them his arms wide open with a 'what the fuck' expression smothering his face. Rayne laughed and Suki sped off.

* * *

A/N: I know things are a little slow at the moment but things will pick up soon I promise. Thanks for reviewing. 


	3. Us

Sorry this is so short, i promise next one will be longer...

* * *

**CHAPTER 3 – Us **

A few hours later Rayne and Suki walked in to Rayne's house and collapsed on to the couch in a fit of laughter, Roman and Brian looked at them and the hundreds of shopping bags from their bean bag positions in front of the Playstation. After a quick inspection of the bags, seeing nothing that would hold anything for them they returned to their game.

An idea popped in to Rayne's head, placing all the bags on the floor in front of her, she searched through and found the one she had been looking for, pulling out a deep neck, white silk shirt "what do you think?" she asked placing the shirt against her.

Roman and Brian took their attention from the TV once more and looked at Rayne "What the fuck is that? Dental floss? You plan on having a flock of guys after you?" Roman almost yelled Brian looked from the admittedly barely there shirt to Roman, eyebrows raised "your not wearing that!" his tone was final.

"Bro?" Rayne asked ignoring Roman

"It is a little revealing"

"It's only what the racer chasers wear, I thought it's what you guys liked?" Rayne shook her head, "It doesn't matter what you think anyways." She threw the shirt back in the bag and took out a very short leather skirt, "That shirt and this skirt?" She asked turning away from the boys and towards Suki.

"Definitely and I got a pair of thigh high boots that would look hot with it" Suki played along. Suki knew Rayne had only bought those garments to piss Roman off, which was clearly working; Rayne would take the clothes back tomorrow.

"You know I bet Ryan would fall over himself if he saw me in this…" Rayne wondered aloud making sure Roman heard her.

"Yeah cause of how much of a slut you'll look in it." Roman moaned.

"Like I said, just like a racer chaser, that's what he likes." Rayne told him.

"Maybe for a one night-er but not for a real relationship."

"Ryan doesn't seem like the type of guy to commit anyways." they were obviously using Ryan as a code but to Brian it didn't seem to click. He looked at Roman as if to tell him to shut up, they wanted Rayne and Ryan separated what was he playing at?

"Well maybe you don't know him as well as you think you do!"

"Well maybe I'll have to get to know him better." she commented.

"You going to poker night?" Suki asked Brian trying to get his attention from Roman and Rayne. Every last Sunday of the month the guys went round to Tej's for a poker night, it was strictly guys so Suki and Rayne went to the movies or chilled out at Rayne's.

"Er … yeah, shit we gotta go." Brian said looking at the clock that read 7:45 "you coming Rome?"

"Nah all I ever do is lose money which I don't have if I'm paying for the mod's on my Spyder" Roman explained rolling his eyes at Rayne and going back to his game.

"Well I'm out then, later" Brian said walking around his bean bag and out of the living room.

"I'm out too.'" Suki said standing up knowing Rayne and Roman would need to be alone, "I'll see you tomorrow" Suki and Rayne hugged and kissed one another's cheek and then she followed Brian out of the house. Rayne walked in to the kitchen and took out a can of Pepsi, opening it as she walked back in to the kitchen she picked up her bags and went to walk upstairs.

"You ain't wearing that shirt!" Roman ordered not taking his eyes off the computer game.

"Whatever Rome." Rayne said climbing the stairs.

"I'm serious you ain't wearing it, I'll burn it before you even get the chance" he said standing up and turning to look at her.

She stopped on the stairs and shook her head exasperated that he would command her to do something, "What we kiss a couple times and suddenly you own me?"

"I didn't say that." he said walking towards the stairs

She continued up the stairs, him following behind her "You may as well have"

"Yeah well I didn't say it."

"But you do think you own me?" she asked opening her bedroom door and throwing all the bags on to her bed and placing the can of Pepsi on the bedside cabinet, spinning round to look at him putting her hands on her waist, her eyebrows raised waiting for him to answer.

He chuckled leaning on the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest "You're so cute when you're angry"

"Yeah you told me that already."

"I don't think I own you…" he walked in to the room and put his arms around her waist and held her close to him, he leaned in and kissed her neck, talking in to her neck and in between kisses he said "I just don't…" her eyes were closed enjoying his kisses, maybe she shouldn't have but she was "want other guys drooling… over my girl" she quickly pulled away from him and moved across the other side of the bed. "What's wrong?"

"Everything!" she sighed pacing up and down the room "Who am I trying to kid?" she spoke more to herself than Roman, "this could never work, Brian would never approve, we live in the same house, it's just not a good idea."

"What, _we're_ not a good idea?" he asked pointing from himself to her

"No we're not…"

"Why?"

"Get real for a second Rome, this could never work, Brian would kill us both for a start!"

"So we wouldn't tell him!" he began to walk around the bed to her but she held her hand out to tell him to stop

"Ok how about the fact that I'm so far away from your type that I might as well be a guy!"

"Just cause I sleep with racer chasers don't mean I want a serious relationship with them!"

"So what you've had your fun so now you want a boring girl?"

"It's not even like that and you know it!"

"So what is it like Rome? Cause I'm hella confused right now – two days ago I'm crying to you about nightmares I've had and today you're kissing me and making my knees weak!"

"I have that affect on women" he said smiling cheekily

"This is just one big joke to you isn't it?" she sighed "you're messin' with my head just cause you can." she slumped down on to the edge of her bed

He sat beside her on the edge of the bed, careful not to sit on one of the many shopping bags "Honestly?" he asked raising his eyebrows, she nodded her head "I'm really confused too, I don't know what's going on between us, all I do know is that when I'm around you all I wanna do is grab you and kiss you"

She sighed and ran her hands through her hair, she was emotionally torn and exhausted, how could they possibly work? Could they really keep it a secret from Brian and his spider sense? How could they be together at races? She couldn't stand to see Roman with Melissa if he was her man, but if he ignored Melissa, Brian would know something was going on! Plus they lived under the same roof, most couples dated before moving in together! She was doing that over thinking thing again! "This is crazy!" she laughed with no humor, "I can't believe I'm actually contemplating this"

"Why is it so crazy?" he spoke softly and quietly, "We've been friends forever, we get on like a house on fire, things have developed, what's so crazy about it all?"

"You really believe this can work don't you!" she stated more than asked staring in to his eyes to see if they could give her answers.

"Yeah I do, I'm at least willing to give it a shot, and I want to try."

"And what if it doesn't work? What if we end up hating one another?"

"I could never hate you no matter what happens between us."

"Rome I…" she began to protest again but he stopped her by placing his lips forcefully on hers, she didn't push him away or seem to hesitate she kissed him back with as much passion and urgency as he did her. He guided her to lie down gently still kissing her; he ran his fingers up and down her stomach where her top had rode up, she grabbed his hand as it went to the button on her jeans, he stopped kissing her and looked down at her. She shook her finger at him. "I'm not that kind of girl" she told him "you're gonna have to keep it in your pants for a while."

"That's cool." he smiled down at her "I can wait. Anything for you, for us."

"So there's an "us" now? " She raised a brow.

"We don't gotta put a name on what we have going on yet. Let's just take everyday as it comes. We don't have to rush into anything."

That was a wise thing to do she agreed but still it didn't answer her question "so can we see other people or not?"

"I rather have you all to myself" He answered with a smug smile, draping an arm around her shoulder, "…unless you wanna?" he asked, his eyebrows raised in a don't you dare answer yes way.

"Maybe…" She shrugged "depends who comes along…" she said casually then looked at him with a cheeky smile; he narrowed his eyes and shook his head at her laughing. He then pinned her down, and began tickling her. They felt like they had been a couple for years.

* * *

**A/N: **Let me know what you think of this chap, chapter 4 is mostly done but I just need to add a few things before I post it so it might be a while but shouldn't be more than about a week or something.

If you have any ideas or suggestions for this just let me know they are greatly appreciated, you have to read it so therefore you should decide what happens!


	4. First Fight

**A/N:** ok I don't like this chapter but my friend forced me to post it so here it is. Let me know what you think. And I know not much is happening so here is a little sneak preview of what's coming up…

Chapter 5 – Roman tells Rayne he loves her but how does she react?

Chapter 6 - Rayne has a birthday party and Brian gives her a present that complicates everything and Rayne gets attacked.

So I hope you come back for more because things are going to get better.

* * *

**Chapter 4 – First Fight**

Just over two weeks later, Roman and Rayne had become experts at sneaking around, following Brian's routine was a little hard at first but they soon got the hang of it and hadn't been caught or come close once yet! With the help of their cell phones and a reluctant Tej and Suki they had been nothing more than friends to the outside world.

It was a little harder at night when Brian was home but somehow they managed to have rendezvous in the kitchen around 2 AM most mornings. Roman had called it his 'Nightly Rayne' which she found amusing.

* * *

Rayne lay in bed listening to the mumbles of Brian and Roman down stairs, it was 7:45 on a Monday morning, it was her day off work and Roman had taken the day off to, Brian was going somewhere with Tej to get some things for the garage and would be gone most of the day so the plan was for Roman and Rayne to spend a day uninterrupted.

Brian was supposed to have left ten minutes before but Tej hadn't shown up yet to pick him up, hearing the sound of Tej's horn outside a smile spread across Rayne's face and she jumped out of bed as she heard the front door close. She felt like a kid on Christmas day.

Trying not to run down the stairs with excitement Rayne made her way in to the kitchen, Roman sat speaking on the phone at the table, he soon ended the conversation to whomever it was when she walked over sat on his lap and began to kiss his ear. "Watch it" he said "or we won't be going anywhere today"

Rayne laughed and stopped kissing him "so what is this big surprise, where are we going today?"

"it's still a surprise just dress casually, nothing fancy" he advised "and go get dressed now we need to outta here in like 15-20" she saluted him and jumped off his lap as he smacked her bum "don't be sarcastic or you wont get any Roman Love"

Rayne laughed "like you could resist me Pearce"

"I could" he called after her

"Ok we'll see if you can go an hour without kissing me first"

"Your on, now get dressed" he yelled hearing her climb the stairs.

After calling Rayne a few times after 20 minutes of waiting for her to dress he walked up the stairs and in to her bedroom, she was stood in the mirror finishing off her mascara, she had her jeans on and her hair was done, she had on a white bra and her white tank top lay on the bed ready to be put on.

"Oh damn don't bother getting dressed" Roman said walking over to her at the dresser and slinking his arms around her waist and kissing the top of her back, she laughed and placed the mascara stick in to its pot and secured it. She turned around in his arms and smiled at him "this no sex thing is killing you isn't it?" she asked

"No" he replied "no sex for two weeks is cool with me, what's killing me is that your so fine and I can't do anything about it" he said before kissing her. "Now get dressed"

She moved from his arms and picked up her top and pulled it over her hair careful not to knock her ponytail "told you ya couldn't resist me"

Only then remembering at that moment he had to go an hour he denied everything "you kissed me"

Rayne laughed "still the sore loser you always were"

* * *

After arriving at the secret location which was Barstow "I knew you were worried about people seeing us in Miami so I thought why not come back home?" Roman asked exiting the car once he had parked in the car park behind a big building.

"I don't remember living here, I was to young" she told him "but I guess its home to you and Bri" he walked around the car to her and put his arm around her shoulders as they walked to the front of the building. "What is this place?"

"Well I've been doing my Rayne research and I found out from a little pink obsessed birdie that you like rollerblading"

Rayne laughed "you're gonna rollerblade?"

"I bet I could do circles round you" he said holding the door open for her

"Only by mistake before you fall on your ass!" walking further in to the roller rink Rayne noticed it was empty, apart from a few staff members "Rome there's no one here, you sure it's open?"

"Yeah, I hired it out for a few hours" he told her smiling,

She kissed him and thanked him "you don't want people to see you make a fool of yourself huh?"

Rollerblading came easy to Rayne she had done it almost everyday as a kid it was her favorite thing to do and living in Miami it was what most people did. Roman on the other hand found it more than difficult although he had been boasting that he was a master. She had to help him around and teach him how to do it, and she wasn't about to let him live it down either ever.

Conversation during lunch was light; they sat in a small diner in a booth at the back eating cheeseburgers and fries. After lunch Roman had one last surprise for her, he told her he was taking her somewhere that meant a lot to him and wanted to share with her.

"The derby?" Rayne asked sitting on a bench where the spectators of the car on car bashings were sat.

"Yeah" he replied watching them as he sat down almost missing the bench.

"While I was inside the only thing that kept me going was your letters, no one else wrote to me, no one else cared..."

"That's not true" Rayne told him "Brian wanted to write but mom told him you'd blame him for you being inside which you did, so he didn't he wanted to tell you in person"

"that doesn't matter now" he sighed "reading your letters just about what you were up to, the fun you were having all the normal every day stuff, I knew I had something to look forward to when I got out, and then when I got home to Miami and you were in New York I felt like I…I don't know, I guess like Miami wouldn't be as much fun with out you there"

Rayne chuckled slightly "Rome you're with me now you don't have to make stuff up so I'll get with you"

"I'm not making it up, I'm being honest" he protested "it's just something I always wanted to tell you and just never knew when or how to" she kissed him and then lay her head on his shoulder whilst they watched the derby.

* * *

The following morning Roman and Rayne stood in the kitchen kissing whilst Brian showered, they had at least ten minutes before he was done, "Rome I gotta get to work, Damien wants me in early" she said pulling away from him, he ignored her comment and kissed her neck "I can't afford to lose my job"

"I want you to lose your job" he said stopping kissing her neck to look at her "I can't stand that Damien guy, he's got a thing for you I know it"

"He's got a thing for anything with tits"

"Especially yours"

"Don't sweat it Rome" she said kissing him one last time before pulling herself away from him and picking up her bag to leave the house "I'll see you when you get home"

"You coming to races?"

"No I gotta work till 10, we got two off sick, I'll be to tired"

"Ok I'll meet you in here at 2 Am for my Nightly Rayne" he said walking towards her again, she moved away before he could put his arms around her knowing he would make her late because she wouldn't want to move from his arms.

She laughed "see you later". Getting to the front door Brian came down the stairs in his towel. "Later bro" she said kissing his cheek as he got to the bottom of the step.

"bye sis" he said walking in to the kitchen as she exited the house "what the hell is up with that girl?" he asked Roman who had sat at the table to eat his breakfast which consisted of a bowl of cereal and toast "there's something going on with her I just know it"

"What do you mean?" Roman asked with a mouthful of toast.

"She's different, she's…I don't know"

"Happy?"

"Yeah! Just to happy, you reckon she's got a boyfriend?"

"Maybe who knows?" Roman asked getting up from his seat and leaving the kitchen to dress for work. He didn't want Brian to ask anymore questions.

* * *

It had been a long day, Rayne had instructed 3 Aerobics classes, had set up 6 new members on exercise regimes suited to them and now it was 9:45pm the gym was pretty empty and Damien had asked her to help him do the monthly equipment check, this wasn't going to be fun.

Damien was her boss and believed he was god's gift to women; he was arrogant, sexist, forward and most of all an asshole! Rayne hated him, and so did most women at the gym, there had been numerous complaints about him but somehow he always just got a slap on the wrist.

The equipment check took at least an hour, they had to use every piece of equipment and make sure it worked properly, they had checked most of the equipment and Damien hadn't been so bad today, he hadn't made one comment about her body or even looked at her in the creepy way that she didn't like.

Getting off the bike she had previously been testing out, Damien said "damn you got one fine ass girl" she ignored his comment and went to walk away, the equipment check was finished she could get away from him, before she got to far he walked besides her and squeezed her left butt cheek really hard. She stopped in her tracks and pushed his hand away. She wanted to spit in his face and call him a pig but she would lose her job so she rolled her eyes at him and walked away from him.

She was going home, she didn't care that her shift didn't finish for another 15 minutes she was leaving.

* * *

Rayne drove as fast as she could cursing Damien calling him every name she could think of, screaming at herself that she didn't punch him in the face, whether it made her lose her job or not she still should have done it. She needed to let off some steam, she decided to go to Tej's party, races would be over by now the party would be kicking she could let off steam there, dancing with Suki and forgetting about Damien!

Screeching to a halt outside Tej's a group guys stood outside drinking and laughing looked at her car and watched her as she walked towards the garage, each one saw the anger in her face and chose not to comment on her entrance.

It didn't take Rayne long to locate Suki at the party, she was happily dancing with Tej on the dance floor, not wanting to interrupt their moment she looked around for Brian or Roman. She scanned the dance floor and found Brian dancing with a skank, again she didn't want to interrupt him, and so she looked for Roman. Not finding him in the dancing area she walked around a little more and found him with Melissa. Melissa was stood against a wall and Roman leant his arm on the wall behind her, Melissa was laughing and playing with her hair, Roman was laughing to. Whether it looked innocent or not, Rayne wasn't impressed, she turned to walk out of the garage but bumped in to Suki.

"Hey girl" she said happily

"Hey" Rayne replied trying to smile. Suki looked in the direction Rayne had been looking and noticed Roman

"It's just an act" Suki assured her "so Brian doesn't get suspicious"

"Yeah I'm sure it is" Rayne replied walking past her out of the view of Roman and Melissa. She found a couch and slumped down in it, so much for letting off steam, she was more pissed now than she already was. Suki followed her and sat beside her.

"You ok? You seem tense" she noticed

"Yeah just Damien being an ass and now Rome"

"What'd Damien do?" Rayne explained about him grabbing her ass and her walking out, Suki told her she needed to quit that job to get away from him. But Rayne liked her job. Whilst they were talking Tej went to tell Roman Rayne had showed up so Roman went searching for them.

"When'd you get here?" he asked coming up behind them, Rayne sighed she wasn't in the mood for a fight right now and that's exactly what was going to happen if she spoke to him. Suki stood up and told them she would talk to them later. "Thought you were working?"

"My bad did I spoil your plans with Melissa?" Rayne asked standing up in front of him.

"Don't go jumping to conclusions!" he began "we were just talking!"

"Sure looked like it too"

"Rayne come on you know me, we were just talking, I'm not that kinda guy."

"You know what Rome, I think you got things a little too good, you get to be with me behind closed doors yet you still get to be the player that you are."

"You think if I was gonna cheat on you I'd be I'm stupid enough to do it in front of Suki?"

"Yeah cause you always did think with your dick! You ain't getting it from me so you gotta get it from somewhere, two weeks has gotta be killing you!"

"You know what; I think you need to calm down."

"Don't treat me like a little kid Rome!" she said raising her voice a little higher than expected.

"Why not your acting like one!"

"FUCK YOU!" she said before walking away, she didn't need this! She didn't need him.

"Rayne!" he called after her over the music, she dodged in and out of people and out of Tej's. Reaching her car she took the key from her pocket and pushed the fob, the lights flashed and the swish sound of the locks opening was drowned out by Roman calling her name, "Rayne, hold up!" she opened her door but before she could put her leg in to get in Roman grabbed her arm. "What the hell was that in there?"

"Rome just go back in there I'm not in the mood for this."

"I'm not letting you leave mad at me."

"You don't got much choice."

"Rayne please, let's talk about this, cause I don't believe that if you thought I was sleeping around you'd still be with me!"

"Yeah well maybe I don't wanna be with you anymore."

"You don't…" he began but stopped when his cell phone rang, he sighed and pulled it from his jean pocket and checked the ID, "Melissa" he answered. Rayne rolled her eyes, snatched her arm from his grasp and got in to her car and drove off.

She was so angry with him, not only him but Damien too! All the sneaking around was getting to her, they had had a great day together they day before and she wanted more like that not sneaking around and hiding in Barstow!

* * *

Roman sat in the dark quiet kitchen at 2.30 Am, Brian and Roman had got home from the party just over an hour ago, Brian had gone to bed almost straight away and Roman sat in the kitchen thinking. Rayne hadn't really meant what she said about not wanting to be with him, she was just angry he knew that, but the fact that she was normally waiting in the kitchen for him before 2 AM and tonight wasn't anywhere in sight was strange, she couldn't be that mad could she?

All he did know is that he had a lot of explaining to do, he had only been talking to Melissa and not about anything he shouldn't have been, he understood why she had assumed what she assumed but still she should have cooled off by now and realized it had been innocent. Maybe he should go talk to her? Make her listen to him? No, he would give her 5 more minutes… No, he was going now!

Standing up as quietly as he could Roman made his way up the stairs and to Rayne's bedroom door, avoiding the creaky floorboards, he opened her bedroom door and let himself in closing it behind him. She lay staring at the ceiling but shot her head around to see who had come in to her room.

When she saw the silhouette of him coming from the light from the hall she turned over in her bed so her back was facing him. He sat on the edge of her bed and sighed, "Rayne…" he whispered, "I don know what the hell happened tonight? I do know that you didn't mean what you said and you couldn't walk away from this anymore than I could." he waited for a reply but got none. "You're mad at me I get that, and maybe I did screw up by talking to Melissa but please let me make it up to you."

She turned over in her bed and sighed, "I need to know you're only gonna be with me and no one else."

"How? I'll do anything. Just say what."

"Anything?" she asked a serious look on her face and her brow raised.

"Anything!" he said with a confident nod.

"I want you to tell Brian about us, no more sneaking around I want the world to know."

He stammered for a second, his breathe caught in his throat and then he nodded, "Ok, yeah, yeah I'll tell him, he can only kill me once right?"

"I want you to tell him right now."

"Now?" if he hadn't have been whispering his voice would have been high pitched.

"Yeah right now, I want you to go in there wake him up and tell him you've been sneaking around with me for the past two weeks"

Rome took a breathe and nodded, "Ok…I can do that…" He moved to walk away, slowly, just in case she would call off the whole thing. Unfortunately to his dismay she didn't. He walked out of her room shutting the door. He leaned his back against it and sighed timidly, "How the fuck am I suppose to tell him that I've been seeing his sister?" He took it back; it was more of a rhetorical question.

* * *

The following night Roman still hadn't plucked up the courage to tell Brian about his relationship with Rayne. They were all at races; Rayne and Roman were stood by Roman's car whilst Brian spoke to Tej. "You've had a million chances Rome don't give me that shit!" Rayne wasn't impressed that he hadn't told Brian yet, he said he would do anything but yet he didn't seem to be trying hard to do anything.

"Baby I'm trying I just cant seem to find the right words"

"Brian I have something to tell you, me and Rayne have been dating how hard is that?"

"Fine I'll go tell him now"

"Yeah you go do that!" Rayne told him before he walked off towards Brian. Last night in her bedroom she had actually only been joking about Roman telling Brian but the more she thought about it the more it made sense.

Roman approached Brian "Brian man can I talk to you a sec?" Roman asked as the crowd parted around them and 5 cars drove in a V, without even seeing the red RX-7 Brian knew who it was, he knew the sound of the engines.

The cars halted and Dominic Toretto stepped out surveying the crowd before looking around at Brian, Leon, Vince, and Jesse exited their cars and then Letty and Mia stepped out of Letty's car. They all noticed Brian and walked towards him. Rayne noticed the tension on all their faces including Brian's so she walked to stand by her brother's side. Brian wasn't sure what was about to happen, he hadn't spoken to any of the team except Mia in letters. He wasn't sure if they knew he had spoken to Mia but either way this situation made him nervous.

Approaching him Dom seemed calm, his fists weren't clenched and he was smiling so Brian figured he was cool for now, "long time" Dom said hugging Brian.

"Definitely" Brian hugged the rest of the team including Vince who thanked Brian for saving his life. Leaving Mia till last she stood to the side of the reunion not sure what to do, "hey" Brian spoke softly

"Hi" she replied


	5. I Love You

**A/N:Sweetest** Addiction has helped me through out this story with ideas and writing bits I just couldn't seem to write so many thanks to her.

* * *

**CHAPTER 5 – "I Love You"**

The team had been in Miami for almost a week; they had all sat down and talked out their differences by Mia's insistence instead of fighting it out. They had found a temporary place to live, a rented house 3 blocks from Tej's although Mia practically lived at Brian's, it was like they had never been apart. Mia and Rayne hit it off straight away, probably because Rayne wanted Mia and Brian together so he had a distraction away from her and Roman, who had decided the drama of the Team showing up was enough for Brian to handle for a while so they would keep their relationship on the down low for a while.

It was a week until Rayne's 20th birthday and she knew Roman, Brian, Suki and Tej wouldn't let it pass without a huge party so Mia and Rayne had gone shopping on Rayne's day off to buy her something mind blowing to wear. Being a fashion designer though Rayne would buy something and customize it so it was one of a kind.

Coming out the changing room with a black V-Neck front and back dress on Rayne modeled it for Mia who sat on a chair holding the shopping bags. "That looks amazing" Mia gasped.

"You think?" Rayne asked looking at herself in the mirror on her tiptoes to get the affect of wearing heels.

"Definitely, Roman will lose his mind when he sees it"

Rayne looked at Mia behind her in the mirror trying not to look shocked or guilty "what's Roman got to do with anything?" Rayne asked returning to her dressing room out of view of Mia's accusing eyes.

"Please I've seen the way he watches you out the corner of his eye, he may as well melt in to goo right there sat at the table eating breakfast…and I'm not stupid even if your brother cant see it I can, both of your body languages changes as soon as one of you enters the room, you both relax, and you need to be a little quieter with your secret meetings"

Rayne exited the changing room with a glum look on her face "ok so we're busted! You gonna tell Brian?"

"Hell no! He'll shoot the messenger! Plus I've been there and done that, Roman makes you happy and he's clearly head over heels for you and I won't be the one to spoil that"

"Thanks Mia, I owe you"

"When your bro does find out though, which he will, I knew nothing"

Rayne nodded "of course"

"I tell you what, I'll take Brian out tomorrow so you and Rome can have the house to yourselves and I'll call when we're on our way home" Mia suggested.

"You serious?"

"Yeah"

"Thank you, I definitely owe you big time" Rayne told her following her out of the changing rooms, Melissa exited the cubicle next to the one Rayne had been in and smiled wickedly.

* * *

Rayne stood behind Mia curling her hair whilst Mia sat finishing her mascara off in the mirror, Mia was making Brian take her out so Rayne and Roman could have some time alone "so I'll send a smoke signal when we start heading for home, stop whatever it is that your doing and make sure the place looks ok"

"If that's a hint as to say stop shagging, I haven't slept with him" Mia stopped doing her mascara and looked at Rayne in the mirror "what?"

"You haven't slept with him?" she sounded almost shocked

"No, I don't go jumping in to bed with every guy I meet"

"What about Ryan?"

"What Brian thinks he knows about Ryan is bull shit, Brian thinks I was sleeping with him from the second I meet him, I wasn't. The reason we broke up was cause he wouldn't wait for me to be ready"

"But you have you know? You're not a virgin?"

Rayne laughed "no I've had my fair share of one night stands I just don't wanna rush things with Rome, if he wants me as much as he says he does he'll wait"

"And if he doesn't?"

"He's just like every other guy and not the person I thought he was"

"I'm sure he will wait, I mean he's already waited a month"

"Almost a month" Rayne corrected "and I don't know what he's been doing at races when I'm not there"

"He's not that stupid"

"That's what I hope" Rayne sighed "you're all done"

* * *

Mia walked down the stairs dressed in a pink summer dress, with her hair in curls and looking gorgeous, Brian sat in the living room with Roman waiting for her to be ready for the date she insisted he take her on. "Wow" Brian gawked at her.

She giggled "I'll take that as a compliment"

"Ready?"

"Yeah"

"Where's Rayne?"

"Getting ready to go to Suki's" Mia lied.

"Bye Rayne" Brian called up the stairs, he waited for her to call back and then he and Mia left.

* * *

It was so nice to be able to relax with out worrying about Brian coming home and catching them. Roman put Blade on the DVD player and then joined Rayne on the large couch, they hadn't seen any of the film as soon as the film began to play they started making out and that's all they had been doing since. Rayne was lay on top of him with his hands running up and down her back, she stopped kissing him and kissed his neck, making him groan with pleasure. The door bell rang out around the house. "Shit" Roman moaned "ignore it"

"No what if it's Brian? Forgot his keys or something it will look suspicious" Rayne suggested.

"Fine" he sighed "I'll go!" she stood up from lying on him and he walked out of the living room and to the front door "stay right there!" he commanded. He ran to the front door wanting to get rid of their unwanted visitor as soon as possible. Roman opened the door not recognizing the silhouette, "Melissa!" he said looking immediately at the living room door to make sure Rayne hadn't followed him out to the front door, she hadn't. "what are you doing here?" he asked taking his attention back to Melissa, only then did he see she was wearing a knee length beige coat, why the hell was she wearing a coat in the middle of the Miami summer?

"I saw Mia and Brian out thought I'd come round and we could have some fun" she explained as he walked out of the house and closed the door behind him so Rayne wouldn't see them.

"Melissa I've told you we're nothing but friends now"

"friends don't fuck Roman!" she said beginning to undo her jacket, Roman didn't know what to do when he saw that she only wore a pair of black stockings and a bra "don't tell me you don't want this" Melissa said walking closer to him and putting her hands under his shirt.

"I don't want you" Roman told her before she kissed him, he pushed her off and held her at arms length as the front door opened "Rayne" she looked from Melissa to Roman.

"I'll leave you two alone" she said before turning and walking back in to the house and slamming the front door.

"Melissa you were just some fun, I don't want you, stay away from me!" Roman told her turning to walk in to the house

"You're choosing that little kid over me?" Melissa asked her face scrunched up in confusion.

"She ain't a little kid, she's got more brains and class than you'll ever have" he walked in to the house and closed the door.

Finding Rayne in the living room watching Blade as if nothing had happened, Roman sat beside her on the couch, as he sat down she got up and walked in to the kitchen. He sighed he was in for some serious shit. Rather than wait for it he got up and walked in to the kitchen, Rayne was stood pouring the contents of a can of Pepsi in to a glass. "I'm sorry"

"Don't be, you didn't know she was gonna come round" she said her back still to him

"So you're not mad at me?" he asked shocked

"No, I'm mad at myself" she sighed turning to look at him holding the now Pepsi filled glass.

"Why?"

"for letting this happen for letting _us_ happen!" she sighed "Rome we're not fooling anyone, Mia figured it out after not even a week of being here, Melissa knows now so it wont be a secret much longer, and I know when Brian finds out he'll hate the both of us and I don't wanna be the cause of you two falling out! So it's just easier to…"

"Don't say it" he warned pointing a finger at her

"One of us has to"

"so what that's it? We hit a bump in the road and it's over?"

"WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO ROME? PRETEND I CAN COMPETE WITH GIRLS LIKE MELISSA. STOP MYSELF FROM RIPPING THEIR HEADS OFF AT RACES! I CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE IT'S TO MUCH!"

"YOU DON'T HAVE TO COMPETE WITH THEM I DON'T WANT THEM! I WANT YOU I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU!" Rayne stared at him for a second whilst it registered in both their heads what he had just said; he was in love with her?

"Wow" she said sitting at the kitchen table staring in to space thinking.

"Yeah wow" he agreed sitting across the table from her. Why the hell had he said it then? He had realized a few days before that he was falling for her, but wanted to wait for the right moment to tell her. He was going to tell her on her birthday. He was going to get Mia to distract Brian and then he was going to take Rayne outside of Tej's on the doc with the moon shimmering down on the water he was going to tell her then and now he had screwed that up! Rayne didn't know what to say "I know it's all happening fast but I…"

"You saying it just so I'll sleep with you?"

Roman sighed and threw his hands up in the air in frustration, he stood up from his chair "you still think that's all I'm about don't you?" he asked angrily "Well yeah that's the only reason I said it so you'd sleep with me so forget I said it!" he walked to the back door and walked through it.

* * *

A few days later Brian walked up the four steps to the front door of the new Toretto house, letting himself in he walked in to the living room to see Vince, Dom, Jesse and Leon playing a 4 player racing game on one of their many games consoles. After everyone greeted Brian Dom yelled "Mia, Brian's here!"

"Actually Dom" Brian began "could I talk to you for a second?"

Dom looked from the game and at Brian seeing the almost desperation in his face he told the guys he was out of this round and got up and walked in to the kitchen, Brian followed "you want a beer?" Dom asked going to the fridge. Brian declined his offer sitting at the table. "So what's up?" Dom asked joining him after opening his bottle of Corona.

"I think something's going on with Rayne"

"Like what?"

"I think her and Rome have got something going on"

Dom almost spat out the mouthful of Corona he had by laughing "are you serious? Cause she certainly doesn't seem like his type"

"They just seem to be sneaking around a lot and their different around each other, like more…more relaxed or something"

"They've been friends for as long as you have been friends with him, they're bound to be close, have private jokes"

"I know they've always been like that but lately things are different between them! I don't know what it is but I can sense something"

"So ask them!"

"They'll deny it…you knew something was going on with me and Mia, how would you go about finding proof?"

"I don't know you're the ex cop you figure it out…but be prepared for what you might find. And you need to decide if them being together would be a good or a bad thing"

"I'm ready" Mia announced walking in to the kitchen.

"Thanks Dom" Brian said standing up to leave.

* * *

**A/N:** Let me know what you think, things get better in the next chap I swear… 


	6. Damien

**Chapter 6 – Damien**

Having fun at her birthday party dancing with her friends, Rayne hadn't forgotten about the fact that her and Roman had spent the week avoiding one another and had hardly spoken, which in turn had made Brian suspicious of them.

Although she had enjoyed his reaction when she walked down the stairs in her printed silk chiffon top with pinstripe wool blend trouser, silver drop earrings, necklace and ring, satin ankle wrap stilettos shoes.

He had stared at her with his mouth open practically drooling on Brian's shoulder, she had to laugh, but this glaring game was pissing her off, every time she would look over at him he'd look away. Neither one had attempted to talk to the other, they were both being stubborn.

Melissa walked over to Roman who placed his arm around her waist and kissed her cheek, that was enough, Rayne needed some air.

Walking outside of Tej's alone she was thankful for the cool night breeze that washed over her, she took in a deep breathe and stared at the sky before closing her eyes to hold in the tears. She heard the door close behind her and turned to see Brian. "Hey bro" she sighed

"Hey, just need some air?" he asked standing beside her.

"Yeah, thanks for all this bro" she said pointing towards the party "it means a lot…I just wish mom and dad were here to"

"Me too, and I suppose in some way they are. Looking down on us shaking their heads at your outfit" she laughed and pushed her shoulder in to his making him lose his balance a little. "So you gonna tell me what's had you so miserable the past few days?"

"Nothing" she replied

"Well you were happy up until like 5 days ago what happened?"

"Nothing I can't handle"

"Whatever it was making you happy you shouldn't let it go" this was part of his plan to see what her situation with Roman was.

"I don't think that's my decision to make anymore" she sighed.

"Well in that case, here this might cheer you up" he said taking an envelope from his shirt pocket and handing it to her. "Open it" he told her as she took it and looked up at him. She did as instructed and pulled out the surprise, one plane ticket to New York.

"Brian what is this?" she asked

"I was being selfish when I made you drop out, you should go back to New York and carry on at design school"

"Are you serious?" she asked a smile spreading across her face, again forgetting about Roman she hugged her brother as he told her he was deadly serious. The door behind them opened and Roman walked out followed by Mia.

Standing holding the door open Mia asked "Brian come dance with me?"

"You ok?" he asked looking at Rayne

"I'm fine bro, go dance with her"

standing a few feet away from Rayne Roman stared at the water, if they had been talking this would have been the perfect moment to tell her he loved her, but they weren't talking and he had already said it and taken it back. This wasn't what either of them wanted and they both knew it but neither would do anything about it. After a few minutes of standing in silence Roman went to walk back in to the party. "Rome wait" she said quickly he stopped and looked at her, "we need to sort this out, I don't want us to end like this"

"I don't want us to end at all but considering I'm only after sex I shouldn't waste my time on you!" he said angrily with sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"I was out of line I'm sorry I never should have said what I said and I'm sorry" she caved in she couldn't stand him to be angry with her.

"Damn right you were out of line…"

"Rome I don't wanna fight!"

"Me either" he said putting his hand in his back pocket and pulling out a box and throwing it to her "happy birthday… I bought it weeks ago so don't think it means anything now, it's just no use to me" he said before walking back in to the party.

Opening the box Rayne discovered a silver Tiffany's bracelet with a heart dangling, on the heart the words '_Night Rayne'_ were inscribed in italic writing. Her heart sank in to her feet, she wanted to run in there kiss him as hard and as passionately as she could and tell him she loved him too, but she couldn't and she wouldn't. Things were even more complicated now Brian had given her a ticket to New York.

* * *

Walking up to the garage on the Monday following her birthday party Rayne took a few nervous deep breathes, everyone was there, Tej, Brian, Suki, Letty, Mia, Roman, Jesse, Dom, Leon, Vince, Jimmy, they were all doing their designated jobs. "Hey sis, you not at work?" Brian asked as she approached.

"I start at 11" she explained "Suki I got your CD" Rayne said handing Suki the CD she had borrowed 3 months ago and had only just got round to copying.

"What you giving me this back for? I don't normally get anything back" Suki asked.

"She's packing her things up" Brian announced to the garage.

"Brian!" Rayne moaned, it wasn't the way she wanted to tell everyone.

"Packing?" Roman asked walking over from the car he had been working on carrying a socket wrench.

"She's going back to New York Friday" Brian explained again to everyone in ear shot.

Roman stared at her for a second "that true?"

"Yeah" she sighed, Roman threw down the wrench and walked at a fast pace to his car "Rome wait" Rayne said going after him "Rome please, let me explain" Rayne said as he reached his car.

Turning around he yelled "what's there to explain? You'rE leaving!"

"well you haven't given me much reason to stay!" Rayne screamed back. Neither one of them cared that Brian could hear their conversation, everything had got to much for both of them and they were beyond the point of caring now.

"CAUSE YOU WON'T LET ME! I TOLD YOU I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU AND YOU THREW IT BACK IN MY FUCKING FACE!"

"Don't take off like this, stay we can talk about this"

"I'm done talking with you Rayne!" he told her getting in to his car and driving off leaving a cloud of smoke behind him.

"You wanna explain to me what's been going on with you two?" Brian asked walking down to her.

"DON'T ACT ALL INNOCENT BRIAN; YOU'VE KNOWN FOR A WHILE YOU WERE JUST WAITING FOR PROOF AND BUYING ME THAT PLANE TICKET WAS YOUR PLAN DON'T THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT!"

"WELL I HAD TO DO SOMETHING TO PUT A STOP TO IT!" Brian tried to justify his reasons.

"Yeah well you succeeded, happy?" Rayne asked walking off and towards her own car. She was late for work!

* * *

Any other day Rayne would have been thankful it was the end of her shift as she would be able to go home and get away from Damien but today she wasn't looking forward to going home, she had the wrath of Brian to look forward to and Roman to deal with, not that she thought for one second that he would let her talk to him.

Standing in the staff room by her locker Rayne moved slowly, brushing her hair through, she was in a world of her own thinking about the whole lot of hell that was going to break lose when she got home, she hoped Mia would be around to stick up for her and talk some sense in to Brian. Whatever was going to happen it was going to be a lot of screaming and shouting!

Rayne had spent the day trying to figure out what she would say to Brian and what he might say to her, then there was the issue of talking to Roman if he were home. Three of Melissa's friends had been to the gym and made a point of standing close to Rayne and discussing the fact that Roman had been at Melissa's since 11 Am this morning, just after he had found out about Rayne leaving. Rayne didn't want to believe it and had half convinced herself that they were lying but she knew it were probably true.

Spraying herself with some deodorant that she kept in her locker Damien entered the staff room and went to the water dispenser and poured himself some, leaning on the machine he drank some whilst staring at Rayne, she noticed and wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of looking like he was freaking her out, although he was.

"I hear you broke up with your boyfriend" Damien spoke to her, she ignored him and carried on putting her things in her bag "it's a shame I thought you two were gonna make it" the sarcasm and arrogance in his voice pissed her off, after earning no response Damien crossed the short distance from the water dispenser to Rayne's locker "maybe me and you could go out on a date now?"

She had had enough today, she wasn't going to bite her tongue any more "I don't think so, I don't date dick heads!"

"Now that's not nice is it? Here I am being gentlemen like and asking you out and you use terms like that towards me"

"Yeah well you have to be a gentleman to be gentlemen like" Rayne spat at him

"Am I not a gentleman?"

"There are gentlemen then there's cavemen then there's you!" Rayne told him putting her hand in her locker to take out her bag, Damien slammed the locker door shut and Rayne yelped as she felt and heard her wrist crack loudly. Damien pulled her hair and dragged her to the floor.

He dragged her towards him and he climbed on top of her still holding her hair he spoke with his teeth clenched and sounded furious "Rayne I've never been anything but nice to you and all you ever do is put me down, you're a spoilt little bitch and you know what I like to do to spoilt little bitches?" she struggled underneath him and didn't want to think what he did to spoilt bitches, she used her good hand to punch at his chest but it didn't do anything, he was to strong for her, she always thought he used body altering substances and the feel of his chest confirmed her theory.

Damien grabbed her arms to stop her from struggling, and pinned them to the floor, "what are you doing?" she asked, the pressure of him leaning on her hurt wrist was to much to bare, tears formed in her eyes and she had no choice but to let them fall. Panic was beginning to settle in and fear soon followed when he moved his head towards her, leaning closer to her, it was obvious he was moving in to kiss her, waiting till he was close enough Rayne put her head to the floor and then launched up as fast as she could her head hitting the bridge of his nose. Damien yelled out in pain and moved from atop her.

Although he had yelled loudly no one would have heard him, they were a floor above the gym and the sound of the machines, radio and people talking would have drowned it out, Rayne had no way of calling for help, her only hope was get up and run or some one would maybe come to the staff room, although the three staff that were working weren't due breaks for another hour and a half.

Rayne quickly got up from the floor and stepped over Damien he sat leaning against the lockers holding his head back to stop his nose from bleeding. As she stepped over him he grabbed her leg and pulled her to the floor again, he kicked her hard in the side twice as he stood up, looming over her he grabbed her white gym t-shirt and pulled her slightly off the ground and punched her in the face three or four times, cutting her head with his big ring.

Thinking the blows had knocked her out Damien proceeded to tear her t-shirt although only the right side ripped exposing her white sports bra. "I'm gonna enjoy this" he said licking his lips, standing up straight and releasing her from his grip Damien began to undo his jogging pants.

Rayne kicked him as hard as she could muster, which was pretty hard due to the fear and pain running through her, and kicked him in the groin. Damien fell to the floor holding his manhood, Rayne quickly stood up, grabbed her bag that contained mace from her locker and ran to the door, opening it but turning to make sure he hadn't followed Rayne said "enjoy that!"

Walking out of the staff room the door closed behind her with a loud sound echoing through the hall, that door was impossible to open without making a sound so if he were to gain the feeling back in his groin she would hear him coming, although she wasn't about to take any chances, she ran as best she could, her ribs told her not to and the pain in her wrist agreed, her hand bag hit her leg as she ran and was probably slowing her down but still she ran to the exit, pushing the door open with her good hand she stepped out in to the dark night and crossed the small pedestrian path to the staff car park. Again the door closed behind her with a thud, thinking it took a little longer than usual to close she stopped and turned to look at the door, Damien didn't stand with a livid look on his face waiting to pounce, only the night and the black fire exit door showed them selves to her.

She half expected to turn around and bump in to Damien like in the movies, but this wasn't the movies-thank god! She reached her car and used her good hand to put her bag on the bonnet, it slid towards her but she used her body to stop it from falling to the floor and fished for her keys with her good hand.

After pushing the fob the lights flashed and the locks opened, she got in threw her bag on to the passenger seat closed her door and locked it again. She didn't know how she was going to drive? She only had one good hand and driving a stick shift took two, she would have to manage.

She put on her seat belt careful of her side, being the over thinker she was she thought her run of bad luck today would have her in a car crash and she would end up as road kill, no more leaving things to chance the safety option was there and she would take it!

* * *

**A/N:** hey all.

I got a job yesterday! WOOHOO! Will be about one to two weeks before I start so gonna try and finish this before I start as I wont have time once I have started.

Chapter 7-9 are complete but I have a whole scene in chap 10 that I wanna write but just cant seem to, so anyone who wants to write some or give me some ideas on how this story should end let me know!

Thanks for reading!


	7. Hospital

**Chapter 7 – Hospital**

Suki walked to the front door after hearing someone banging it, it was 10:15pm on a Monday night, and no one would call this late with a car emergency, well not if they knew what was good for them. Opening the door a bloody and weak looking Rayne collapsed in to her arms, "TEJ!" Suki yelled "TEJ QUICK…oh shit, Rayne baby, Rayne honey talk to me" Suki pleaded.

"What is it?" Tej asked walking down the stairs in his sweat pants and hair half afro half cornrows. "Oh fuck" he said seeing Rayne lying in Suki's arms.

"Call an ambulance quick" Suki announced.

"She breathing?" Tej asked running in to the other room to find a phone, Suki watched her chest and thanked the Lord when it rose and fell.

"Yeah" Tej came back to the door talking with the operator telling them the address and his friend had been beaten up badly, it was all the information he had, "tell them to hurry" Suki stressed. Waiting for the ambulance to arrive they lay Rayne in a more comfortable position on the hallway floor and Suki supported her head constantly talking to her and willing her to wake up. "Tej, her clothes are ripped" Suki noticed that her normally pristine white gym t-shirt had been torn by the right breast exposing her plain white sports bra. "You think someone attacked her?"

"if they did she definitely put up a fight" Tej concluded looking at the gash on her hair line, the blood had dried as it ran down her nose but it was clear that her nose had been bleeding too, both of her eyes were swollen and black.

Hearing the ambulance approach Suki told Tej to call Brian, "and Roman just in case Brian doesn't tell him"

* * *

Running in to the hospital followed by Mia Brian ran to the reception desk and asked hurriedly "I'm looking for a Rayne Ashlyn O'Connor?" the nurse tapped a few keys on the keyboard asked if he was family and then directed him to Emergency room 13.

Running through the hospital reading signs to find emergency room 13 Brian's head was in a blur, getting the call from Tej was a huge shock and driving over to the hospital bought back to many memories of his parent's deaths that he didn't want or need at this time. "Suki!" he called seeing her sat in a chair with Tej hugging her. Suki and Tej turned around and stood up as he approached. "Where is she? Is she ok? What happened?"

"She's in there" Suki pointed to a room where the blinds were drawn and the door closed "we don't know what happened or how she is, they rushed her in there and no one has come or gone since"

"Why did she come to your place? Why not home?" Brian sighed sitting down on a chair and running his hands through his hair.

"Where is she?" Roman asked running through the double doors behind them

"what the hell are you doing here?" Brian asked raising his voice standing up and going to walk towards Roman.

"Brian" Mia said stopping him from going any further.

"I called him" Tej told Brian "he cares about her to bro"

"So much that he's been with Melissa all afternoon?" Brian asked looking at Tej, everyone looked at Roman, he looked at his feet ashamed. "Yeah I saw your car there!"

"Look Bri, I'm sorry we lied to you, we didn't mean to, things just happened and we didn't know how to tell you. We were gonna tell you but Mia and everyone showed up and we figured it was enough for you to deal with"

"And what exactly where you gonna tell me Rome? That you've had every other girl in Miami and she was the only one left"

"It wasn't like that, it wasn't _ever_ like that"

"So what was it like?"

Roman sighed and sat in the chair that was closet to him running his hands over his head and keeping them there as he said "I don't know, I fell for her and I thought she felt the same but I guess…"

"No you didn't fall for her Rome; it's just something you tell women to sleep with them!"

"Is that what you think of her?" Roman asked standing up getting angry walking towards Brian "I don't give a fuck what you think of me, but do you really think that that's who Rayne is? Sleeping with everyone and anyone?"

"That's how it seems lately yeah!" Brian explained, without warning Roman punched Brian in the face making him stumble, he gained his balance quickly and lunged at Roman making contact with his stomach and making them both fall to the floor. After a little rolling around both of them trying to get on top of the other to punch each other but not succeeding Dom, Leon, Vince, Jesse and Letty arrived and Dom, Tej, Vince and Leon pulled them both apart.

"Cool it before security comes over" Letty told them both before sitting down.

After staring at each other catching their breathes neither Roman nor Brian were going to back down first but then the door to Rayne's room opened and a doctor walked out followed by his team.

Brian ran straight to him "Is she ok?"

"Are you family?"

"I'm her brother"

"She's been beaten pretty badly, a fractured wrist, a few broken ribs, and cuts and bruises other than that it could have been a lot worse. Do you know who may have done it?" Brian shook his head "it is my duty to contact the police, they will want to talk to her"

"Yeah I understand"

"I will tell them to come tomorrow give her time to rest. She's resting at the moment you may see her but only a few at a time and try not to wake or stress her, to much movement could cause more damage to her ribs"

"Thank you doctor" Brian sighed with some what relief that she was ok, beaten but alive.

"Who the hell would have done something like this?" Mia asked aloud.

"I might know" Suki said

"Who?" Roman asked quickly

"Your not gonna go do something stupid are you?" Suki asked him although she knew the answer.

"Who Suk's?" Roman demanded

"Damien" Suki finally answered

"Who's Damien?" Brian asked

"her boss he's had a thing for her for ages now, he's always coming on to her, I guess tonight he took it a little to far and she didn't wanna know" Roman explained before walking to the double doors to leave the hospital,

"Brian stop him" Mia told him

"No" Brian said going off in the same direction "I'm gonna help him"

"Dom do something please" Mia pleaded. Dom sighed not knowing what he could do, if he were in their shoes he would do the same, and if they asked him he'd help them do what they were about to do, but reluctantly he nodded to Leon, Jesse and Vince who followed him out of the double doors to exit the hospital.

"Rome wait up" Brian called jogging across the car park

"Bri I don't wanna fight with you right now, I'm going to get Damien and I'm gonna make him pay for what he did to my girl" Roman said walking at a fast pace towards his car that was 10 feet in front of him.

"She your girl now?" Brian asked his tone somewhat angry.

"Brian whether you like it or not I'm in love with your sister and I'm pretty sure she feels the same about me so get use to it cause when she's better, if she wants me I'm not gonna turn her down!"

"She's going to New York!"

"She'll do what she wants not what you want" Roman said reaching his car and opening the driver's side door. Brian reached the passenger side door and got in "what you doing?"

"We can argue about Rayne later, right now Damien needs his face rearranged!"

"That's the best thing you've said to me all night!"

* * *

Suki entered Rayne's room and took her bruised fragile looking hand in her own, standing beside her bed scanning her face trying to find a millimeter of flesh that even slightly resembled her friend under the bruises, she searched but found nothing, Rayne's eyes moved under the lids she was either dreaming or waking up. Rayne groaned painfully "Rayne?" Suki asked

Rayne's eyes opened and as soon as they did tears fell "am I alive?" she asked crying uncontrollably

"You're in the hospital, you're fine" Suki told her, her own tears falling "you really scared me there for a second!"

"You know me always trying to surprise" Rayne managed to say through tears, Suki leant down and hugged Rayne gently, Rayne raised her arms slowly and hugged her friend back without making her body ache too much.

"Try to stop crying, you'll hurt your ribs" Suki told her still hugging her. Rayne's cries subsided after a few minutes and then she asked if her brother was there, standing up from the hug Suki sighed "he took off with Rome to get Damien"

"Shit Suk's… help me up" Rayne said beginning to sit up in the bed

"No Rayne, it's under control the guys went after them, they'll bring them back" Suki said trying to make her lie down again

"Give me your cell" Rayne demanded

"You're not supposed to use them in here" Suki explained.

"Suk's give me your cell or I'm getting out of this hospital bed!" Rayne threatened, Suki sighed and grudgingly reached in to her pocket and handed Rayne her phone, after dialing Brian's number and getting his answering machine Rayne hung up and dialed Roman's. After three rings he answered.

* * *

Racing towards the gym with Dom and the guys driving behind them Brian's cell phone rang, looking at the caller ID it was Dom, again "Brian I know your angry I don't blame you I would be the same but come on Suki said she didn't know for sure, you beat on the wrong guy and you'll both get time for it with your records!" no one knew Brian and Roman had their records cleared by helping the cops bring down Verone.

"It's worth it!"

"No it's not, your no good to Rayne behind bars, she's lost her parents don't let her lose her brother and…" he was going to say boyfriend but thought better of it "one of her closet friends"

"Dom if this was Mia, you'd do the same I know you would, and I know you ain't gonna stand by while me and Rome pummel this guy, so get off your phone and drive!" Brian told him before hanging up then turning off his phone.

Roman's phone rang as the gym came in to view at the end of the road, he shuffled in his seat and reached in to his pocket and took it out, flipping it open without reading the ID he yelled "WHAT!"

"Roman" Rayne spoke softly, Roman slowed down, and Brian noticed the relief that seemed to wash over his face. "Stop driving, pull over"

"Rayne don't try and talk me out of this" Roman warned

"It wasn't Damien" Rayne told him "it was a good guess but Suki got it wrong"

"So who was it then?" Roman asked not believing her for a second.

"That's not important right now"

"Don't lie to me Rayne!" Roman shouted his anger getting the better of him.

"Can I talk to my brother?" she asked calmly not letting his anger faze her. Roman handed the phone over to Brian.

"Rayne" he answered quickly almost not believing Roman when he spoke her name

"Hey bro"

"You ok?"

"I will be as soon as you two stop this male testosterone shit and get back here! Don't do this Brian, come back to the hospital"

"No I'm not gonna let him get away with this"

"It wasn't Damien"

"You lying?" Brian asked

"No…Brian please…you both come back to this hospital with out going to find Damien or anyone and I'll go to New York the second I leave this hospital. I wont so much as look at Rome, I'll just leave, just don't do this, it's more trouble than it's worth"

"You promise?"

"I promise, please Brian"

"I'll try"

"Thanks bro" she said before hanging up.

* * *

"No…Brian please…you both come back to this hospital with out going to find Damien or anyone and I'll go to New York the second I leave this hospital. I wont so much as look at Rome, I'll just leave, just don't do this, it's more trouble than it's worth…I promise, please Brian…thanks bro" Suki looked at Rayne, what the hell was she saying? She wasn't seriously going to New York.

They hadn't had time to talk since Brian made the announcement but Suki thought that Rayne had just said she was going back to New York to get Brian off her back, she wasn't seriously going back there, was she?

After handing Suki the phone back Rayne sighed, "he's gonna try to bring him back"

"And if he does?" Suki asked

"Then that's good" Rayne replied as if it was a stupid question

"I mean New York? Are you gonna go back?"

"Yeah, I need to get away for a while, sort out my head, seeing some old friends will be cool too"

Suki nodded; although she didn't want her to leave she replied "I get it"

The door to the room opened and Mia popped her head round "oh your awake" Mia sighed and walked in to the room completely "how you feeling?"

"Like I was beat up" Rayne chuckled slightly and regretted it when the searing pain shot through her whole body form her ribs.

"Sorry that was a stupid question" Mia acknowledged "there's two cops here to see you"

"I'm not up to it yet send them away please" Rayne told her

"He said if you say that to tell you his names Marcus Hart"

"Send him in" Rayne said quickly. Mia and Suki exited the room to leave her alone with the cops, before the door could close Marcus and his new partner Officer Riley entered the room.

"Hey Rayne" Marcus spoke softly, he was a medium sized guy with a big gut and grey hair which made his dark brown eyes stand out more, it had been a while since Rayne had seen Marcus and the last time was under bad circumstances too, her parents funeral, Marcus was her fathers old partner, Marcus always looked like a young 55 year old guy but today he looked old, really old.

"hi" she sighed, she was glad it was Marcus that would be taking her statement, she knew he would believe her, she didn't want some snotty nose cop to come in see she was a nice looking girl and think she had flirted with her boss a little to much and backed out when he wanted to take it further because of the 'signals' she had given him.

Marcus introduced his new partner as Tyrell Riley, he was a young black cop, a newbie as her dad use to call them, he looked nervous, probably one of his first cases of a women being attacked or something, whatever it was Officer Riley was not comfortable in this situation one bit, he looked like he was going throw up any second "where's your brothers?"

Everyone classed Roman as Rayne's and Brian's brother, it sounded weird but she replied "they went after the guy that did this but I talked them out of it, I hope"

"And who did do this?" Marcus asked

"Damien Silvers" Rayne replied with no hesitation, it was going to be hard to relive what had happened but she knew it was best to do it now whilst everything was fresh in her head.

Officer Riley went to the far corner of the room and spoke in to his radio Rayne heard him tell dispatch to get a car to the gym where she worked and one to a Damien Silvers address.

"That procedure?" Rayne asked Marcus

"I knew it was you when I got the call cause the hospital gave your name, I figured it was something to do with the lowlife you work with, we've been trying to nail his ass for a while now, he attacked a female cop a couple months ago but we had no proof, captain told me to get a name from you and if it was him to arrest him straight away"

Rayne felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders, she didn't fancy being almost disabled in a hospital for a couple days with Damien still out there, he may have come back to finish the job but now he was being arrested and even if they could only keep him a few hours or over night it would make her feel a whole lot better.

"You need to tell me everything that happened" Marcus pulled up a chair and sat besides Rayne's bed and took out his pad to take down her statement.

* * *

After forcing Roman to pull over and get out of the car, Brian and Roman had had a yelling match about why it was a bad idea to go after Damien, Dom, Leon Vince and Jesse had twice had to hold each of them back from hitting the other but finally Roman backed down and reluctantly drove back to the hospital. Brian rushed to her room again but stopped when he saw no one was in the room with her, "Marcus is in there with her" Suki told Brian after he had asked why no one was in there with her.

"She giving a statement?" he asked quickly walking to the door

"I guess" Suki replied. Brian knocked on the door and then walked in anyway, Rayne, Marcus and Tyrell turned to look at the intruder.

"Hey Bro" Rayne spoke quietly; he could see she had been crying.

"How you doin?" he knew the answer would be shit or something like that but he didn't know what else to say. "Can I come in?"

Marcus opened his mouth to say something but Rayne quickly replied "No…I don't want you to hear this" she didn't know why she didn't want him to hear it, ok Damien had tried to rape her but basically he had just beaten her up.

"Rayne I wanna be here to support you"

_Oh now he wants to support me? But he won't support my relationship with Roman, thanks BRO! _Rayne thought. "I'm cool with Marcus bro, just wait outside please"

"You get Roman back to?" Marcus inquired

"Yeah took some persuading but he came in the end" Brian told Marcus. Marcus asked Brian to leave them alone so he could continue with taking Rayne's statement, Brian asked once more if Rayne wanted him to stay but she declined and he left closing the door behind him.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry this chapter was crap, and not much happened. Review anyway tell me its crap and I will make the other chaps better I promise! 


	8. The Perfect Goodbye

Sweetest Addiction wrote part of this chapter so huge thanks and shout out to her. Hope your ok girly, missing you.

* * *

**Chapter 8– The Perfect Goodbye**

A week after the attack Rayne was home and packing to go to New York; Roman had avoided the house by Brian's request telling him that it would probably be best for Rayne to recover without stress, so he had been staying with Suki and Tej.

Rayne was in her room packing her things ready to leave for New York tomorrow morning. Her wrist was healing nicely, the doctor had advised her to see a doctor in New York about her wrist and ribs, which she would do, but right now all she wanted to do was get out of Miami for a while. She would be back in a month and half to go to trial again Damien. But right now the idea of being anywhere but Miami was great, she couldn't wait to get away, see her old friends in New York.

Brian had asked her about what had been going on with Roman, all Rayne had told him was that whatever was going on between them was over and that she hadn't been sleeping with him, that seemed enough for Brian so Rayne didn't tell him anything more.

Everything was packed but Rayne was bored so she was checking over everything again. Brian and Mia had gone out with Dom and Letty for a meal because Dom had been complaining that he had barely seen his sister. So Rayne was home alone. She didn't want everyone to make a big fuss of her leaving so no one did.

Having been home for the past week she had played all the Playstation games, watched all the DVDS and TV movies. She had nothing else to do. She intended to put some tunes on her iPod to listen to on the plane but Brian had messed with the computer thinking he was Mr. Fix It and had some how wiped everything off the computer, she didn't have the energy to download all new stuff.

Suki had all the stuff she liked she would go to Suki's and use her computer, after making sure Roman was elsewhere.

* * *

Suki and Tej sat in their living room watching Pimp My Ride when Suki's cell phone rang "hey sweetness" she answered after reading Rayne's name on the caller ID.

"Hey babe, how you doin?"

"I'm good, what's up?"

"Er…can I come round and use your pc?" Rayne asked, Suki laughed she had heard what had happened with Brian

"Course you can babe"

"But is Roman ho…there?" Rayne asked, she didn't want to say home, because it wasn't Roman's home, his home was with her and Brian, well just Brian as she was leaving tomorrow.

"No he went out a while ago" Tej could hear the conversation and shot a look at Suki, she smiled sweetly at him.

"Cool I'll be round in 5"

"Me and Tej were gonna go get something to eat but we'll wait for you to come to let you in then we'll go"

"Ok thanks babe" Rayne said before hanging up.

Suki stood up and stretched "I'm gonna get changed your taking me out" she told Tej

He stood up and shook his head "I hope you know what your doing" Tej told her

"They need some encouragement; they'll fight it out or avoid each other, what's the worst that can happen?" Tej shook his head again as they left the living room to change to go out.

Suki changed and then knocked on the spare bedroom door, and entered when Roman called for her to go in. he was lay in the middle of the bed wearing only a pair of black sweat pants and watching some DIY program on TV, although Suki had the feeling he wasn't watching it much at all. He didn't look at her when she entered he just stared towards the TV, it seemed like he was looking through the TV.

"Me and Tej are going for something to eat, you wanna come?" she asked the question but knew what the answer would be.

"No thanks" he replied

"See you later then" she said, he didn't reply he was to much in his own world; she left the room closing the door behind her.

Suki walked down the stairs and opened the front door when she saw the silhouette of Rayne walk in to the porch. "Hey" Rayne said walking in to the house as Tej descended the stairs.

"Hi babe, bye babe" Suki said quickly dragging Tej out of the front door "you know where everything is, lock the door when you leave" Suki kissed each of Rayne's cheeks after giving her the instructions then left. Rayne frowned at her friend's behavior but walked in to the kitchen to the pc anyway.

Rayne had been sat in front of the pc for about 15 minutes before she heard someone coming down the stairs. _Suki you're a dead women! You don't know it yet but you so are! _Rayne said in her head before even seeing Roman come in to the kitchen. He stopped as he stepped through the door seeing Rayne sat at the pc. Although they had been avoiding each other they weren't ignoring one another, if they saw each other they did the pleasantries but nothing other than 'hello and how are you?' but they both preferred to just avoid any conversation at all.

The shock of seeing her subsided and he continued in to the kitchen and made himself a drink "you want one?" he asked pouring some Pepsi in to a glass for himself.

"No thanks" she replied not taking her attention from the pc. She tried to act like she didn't feel awkward but she did and she didn't think she was hiding it very well.

"How are you?" Roman asked leaning on the kitchen sink staring at her back.

"I'm good, doc says my ribs are healing fine I should be as good as new in a few weeks" she replied messing with her iPod now. "How you doin?"

"I'm cool" he was lying, he wasn't cool, he wasn't anything. Ever since they had their fight and he had found out she was going to New York and her being attacked he had been numb, emotionally and physically. All he did was go to work and go home to Suki's and spent his nights in his room watching TV.

They seemed to have ran out of small talk and a silence fell over them, there was so much that needed to be said but neither one would say it. "How's Melissa?"

Roman chuckled "it took you a whole 5 minutes to mention her, although I did think it would be sooner"

Still not turning to look at him she said "well word is you two are a couple now"

"Well the 'word' is wrong" he explained "we're not a couple"

"But your sleeping with her right?" Rayne turned to look at him "like you were when Damien attacked me"

"How do you…" He began but stopped realizing who must have told her "Brian?"

"No Brian didn't tell me, I had to drive past her place from the gym I saw your car there, plus her friends came in talking about it" He looked at his feet ashamed "I'm done here" Rayne said disconnecting the cable from her iPod and wrapping the headphone wire around it, after shutting down the pc Rayne stood up and walked out of the kitchen, to the front door.

_Don't let her go __Rome__. Call her back! CALL HER BACK NOW BEFORE SHE LEAVES! _"Rayne wait" Roman jogged in to the hallway after her and held the front door as she went to walk out "can we talk? Please?"

Rayne sighed "all we do is end up fighting"

"We wont I swear, I just wanna talk to you I need to talk to you before you…" he looked like it hurt him to say the last bit but he said it "…before you leave" Rayne closed the door but didn't move she stood in the hallway. "I'm not sleeping with Melissa, I was when Damien attacked you but I'm not now, I'm not sleeping with anyone…it's not the same from being with you…no one's worth it"

"Rome if your trying to talk me out of going to New York it's not gonna work"

"I'm not I just want everything to be ok with us before you go" he sighed "please just let me explain some stuff" he asked gesturing towards the kitchen Rayne walked in to the kitchen and sat down at the table.

Roman sat in the chair besides Rayne "I was with Melissa when Damien attacked you but I was angry with you cause you were leaving, I wanted some comfort I was pissed cause you were running away from us" he justified his reasons "you _still are_ running away from us"

"There isn't an _us_ to run away from now. And I need to get away for a while; I need to sort my head out"

"I understand that but I just…" he sighed not knowing what he was going to say. Silence fell over them and both of them avoided eye contact with one another. "I don't want you to leave Rayne" he finally said letting his heart speak instead of his head "I'm going crazy just thinking about you going, I'll be in a nut house when you go"

"And what have I got to stay for Rome? What have I got here?"

"ME!" he raised his voice "us, Rayne I meant it when I said I love you and I didn't say it just to get you in to bed, I meant it with everything I am!" he took her good hand in his "Rayne I'm in love with you"

"Rome I'm in love with you too but…" he put his finger on her lips so she couldn't say anymore, that's all he wanted and needed to hear. He moved quickly and pressed his lips upon hers. In return from her shock, she stood there letting him kiss her with all he's worth. Seconds passed and the shock had overcome her, she snaked her arms around his neck and pulled him close, as close as their clothed bodies would allow. He gently moved them until her back hit the wall. His hands lingered around her body, exploring every inch of every curve. They moved off the wall and towards the stairs, lips still in a torrid session of lip locking. They attempted to walk up the stairs, but as their bodies still tangled they did not succeed. Rayne pulled away with a frustrated sigh.

"This isn't working…" she said out of breathe.

"What do you mean this isn't working! You're not going to kiss me like that and just stop saying-"she cut him off immediately trying to suppress her laughter.

"No, not that." she shook her head, "I meant us…walking up the stairs… like this." she touched his cheek to add onto her statement. He smiled, his breathing returning into normal. He walked up a step to her; once there he leaned down to kiss her lips once again. It was meant to be gentle, and soft, but with the way their body's called out for each other it was everything but. His hands buried themselves in her hair, as hers roamed up his firm stomach. For a second she pulled away, her lips inching towards his ear, gently nibbling.

"Someone's been working out." she teased. He growled in approval, and because he was becoming way too impatient. She giggled and kissed him again. Her hands massaging his bald head, while his moving down her back, then back to her waist. He easily picked her up, as if she weighed nothing. She bit her bottom lip in excitement. He carried her up the stairs, and towards the guest room where he stayed. In a swift movement he opened the door. Inside, he gently laid her down on the bed, he moved a top her, then kissed her lips. His lips moved from her ear to down her neck, as she laid there enjoying the sweet kisses he covered her with.

"Rome... Rome…Rome!" she said pulling his head to meet her eyes.

"What?" he asked eyebrows furrowed. She giggled at his expression.

"The door…" she pointed as it was still wide open. He jumped off the bed, and then slammed the door shut. He grinned walking back to her, then reclaimed her lips once more.

* * *

Roman's eyes fluttered open the next day from the sun shining through the velvet curtains. He looked to his right seeing Rayne cuddled up to his side. He smiled to himself thinking of the pervious evening's events, this was perfect. No matter how many people thought it was wrong, no matter how big of a stunt Brian would pull just to push them apart, no matter how many things he has to give up just to be with her, it would never change the way he felt about her. When they were at a party, it was just him and her, with all of the other people but they didn't matter to him, he couldn't seem to keep his eyes off of her. They had nothing to prove to all the other people, not to Damien, not to Brian. It was him and her. Not Brian and his whore of the month, not Suki and Tej, it was him and her; Rayne and Roman. _It was just him and her against everyone else._

She stirred besides him, in an attempt to soothe her he gently stroked her hair. She snuggled closer.

"Good morning." He half whispered. Her head moved up to meet his eyes.

"Mornin'" she mumbled resting her head back down onto his chest. He chuckled softly at her action. She smiled and prompt herself up with her elbows. She leaned in a bit to kiss his cheek, but he swiftly moved so she kissed his lips. She pulled away and smiled, nestling into him closer, if that were even possible.

"God, Rome…" She sighed, a smile still played on her lips. He smiled as well and rubbed her arms as a sign that her comment was acknowledged. "This was the perfect way to say goodbye." She cooed oblivious to his facial reaction.

Rome froze at her words. "Goodbye?" he repeated. He thought that last night meant something to her, that it meant she wasn't going to leave after all…That they were going to give it another shot. He choked back all his feelings and nodded solemnly.

"Perfect way…" she whispered. He didn't reply. He didn't want to say goodbye. "To say goodbye." She finished, eyes closed, as she drifted to sleep.

* * *

Rayne dressed whilst Roman left the room to use the bathroom, Roman stood over the sink staring at himself in the mirror, he thought after the first time he slept with Rayne he would be glowing, ecstatically happy, if it had happened whilst they were sneaking around he wouldn't have been able to hide it from Brian. But it had happened now and for the hour and a half he had been watching her sleep he had been just that, happy, but she had said it was the perfect goodbye.

This wasn't what he wanted! He didn't want her to go to New York, he wanted her to stay but she clearly didn't want to, unless she wanted him to stop her from going? No Rayne wasn't like that, she didn't drop hints, she told it like it was. He washed his face with some cold water and exited the bathroom as Rayne began to walk down the stairs.

"I'm gonna talk to Suki and Tej before I gotta go" She smiled at him

"I'll be down once I've put some clothes on" he tried smiling back but it was weak and half hearted but Rayne didn't seem to notice. He had to get ready for work she knew that, Brian and Suki were having the day off so they could go to the airport with Rayne therefore Tej and Rome had to work.

Rayne walked in to the kitchen and quicker than the speed of light Suki was at her side asking her about her night "so what happened?"

Rayne chuckled "nothing. I stayed the night so I could say goodbye to Tej this morning"

"Yeah right and I'm sure Brian will believe that too" Tej said from the table.

"Brian thinks I came round to use the pc then me and Suki ended up drinking and stuff so I crashed here, and that's what happened"

"We'll see if Brian believes it"

"Enough about Brian! What the hell happened?" Suki asked "cause one minute your avoiding each other and now your spending the night with him, come on spill!" Suki demanded

Roman entered the kitchen buttoning up a sleeveless white shirt "what do you think happened Suk's?" he asked going to the fridge and taking out the carton of orange juice

"Yeah use your imagination" Rayne advised "I gotta get going" Rayne announced looking at the digital clock that flashed on the microwave. "You coming with me now or you gonna meet me at mine in a few?"

"What for?" Suki asked

"Er have to catch plane to get to New York" Rayne told her frowning at the fact that Suki had forgotten

"You're still going?"

Rayne took in a heavy sigh and the 6 pair of eyes starring into her intently. "Yeah, I'm still going." She glanced over at Rome for a reaction and to her surprise he had none.

"Oh…right." Suki looked at Tej and shrugged.

"Hit and run…just like a real whore." Rome snorted, leaning against the counter, sipping on a cold glass of orange juice. Rayne shot him a look, while Suki and Tej acted like they didn't hear anything. "But what do I care, I got a free night." he laughed with no humor, by himself. She dismissed his rude comment.

"Oh…Rome that wasn't necessary. Just like the certain size of things…" Rayne said her index fingers in the air, far apart at first then close together , about the length of a marker. She smirked as she saw she had hit a nerve.

"Fuck you." He snarled.

"Already have been there done that and don't want the t-shirt." She gave him a stern look. Rome slammed his fist down on the counter and left the kitchen cursing under his breathe, calling Rayne every dirty name he could think of. Rayne shook her head and turned to Suki.

Rayne sighed, this wasn't how she wanted to say goodbye to Roman, but if he found it easier to say goodbye by insulting her she would help. "I'll wait in the car." She said then kissed her cheek. "Later Tej" she waved him off and left.

"Bye Rayne." Tej clapped his hands together and looked at the clock "Well, that was a good show." He joked once she left, Suki gave him a look taking his empty plate.

"You work on that guy…he really cares for her and she's just gonna leave." She said walking over to the sink. Tej shook his head.

"Babe its cute how you want to play cupid and all… but ..." He walked up behind her, and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Do I always gotta be your sidekick!" Suki turned around and hit his arm.

"Shit, girl what was that for?" He asked rubbing the spot.

"They're your friends Tej! They have the right to be happy, even if that means if they found happiness in each other. Now Brian may not approve of this but we should be supportive."

"You're way too nice but that's why I'm with you." He kissed her lips but she quickly pulled away when his hands roamed up her back and under her shirt.

"Tej, stop thinking with your dick and start thinking with what's up here." She said poking his head. "Now come on, you gotta get going." She pecked his lips briefly before un-tangling herself from his embrace and grabbing her keys. "Meet's at the airport?" She asked walking to the door.

"What you got no memory now? I gotta work."

"No but if you talk to Rome, I'll meet you at the airport." She said grabbing the door knob ready to head out.

"What am I suppose to say? I'm not good with relationship stuff! You handle all that romantic shit, I just take you out every now and then to show you off." He teased crossing his arms. Suki shot him a glare and raised a brow. She walked up to him and snaked her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her level where her lips brushed against his ear, "Is that so?" He chuckled, "I was only playing' around…but if we don't show up its 'cause of my lack of conversation abilities and persuasiveness." She giggled and walked back to the door, "You, can be **very**…" She said accentuating the word very. "…persuasive."

He moved after her taking her in his arms again, "Oh? Is that so?" he asked leaning down a little.

"Yes." She pulled away opening the door and walking out. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Ugh…Tej I gotta get going! You suck." She said sticking out her tongue at him. He chuckled and tightened his grip on her hips where his hands had moved swiftly down to in a matter of seconds.

"You swallow." He shot back smirking. She gave him a fierce look. She leaned up to kiss him one last time, "Bye…See you later."

"Uh-huh…" She unraveled herself from his arms once again and got into her car where an impatient Rayne sat waiting.

* * *

Roman cursed from under the car all he had done all morning was drop things and curse at everything. Everyone in the garage had avoided him and kept well out of his firing range when he would throw tools from under the car.

Tej hadn't mentioned Rayne or the previous night to him although he knew it was the cause of Roman's bad mood. Tej stood beside the car which Roman was underneath "man what are you playing at?" Tej asked looking at Roman's leg.

"I'm working what the fuck's it look like?" Roman replied from under the car

"I mean with Rayne you fool" Roman rolled from under the car and stared up at Tej, Tej waited for him to explain himself but Roman didn't say anything he got up and went to the tool box. "You slept with her last night right?"

"yeah" Roman answered moving things around in the tool box as if he were looking for something but he wasn't "apparently it was the 'perfect goodbye' what's that shit all about man?" he spun round on his heels "the first girl I ever say the three words to and she finally said it back and she takes off to New York! How messed up is that shit?"

"So you obviously didn't want it to be goodbye?"

"No I didn't want it to be a goodbye I wanna be with the girl not thousands of fucking miles away from her!"

"So what the hell are you doing here?" Tej almost yelled "shit Rome, this isn't you, you always get what you want so why should now be so different? You want the girl, tell her, don't let her get on that plane tell her you want her here!"

"She obviously don't wanna be here, with me"

"Did you ask her to stay?"

"No"

"Then get your ass in that car and get to the airport!" Tej commanded

"And make a fool of myself?"

"If you love the girl you'll make a fool of yourself!"

"Brian will be there!"

"Rome forget everyone else right now this is about you and Rayne, do you love her?"

"Yeah"

"Do you wanna be with her?"

"You know I do"

"Then what the fuck is stopping you? Your being stubborn now swallow your pride and get to the fucking airport" Roman went to protest again "you don't go and you're fired!" Tej said walking towards the car with Roman following slowly behind.

* * *

A/N: Hey all

This is a little longer than the rest as promised, not sure if its any better than the others but its longer. Lol!

Anyway chapter 9 is the chapter I need a scene for, it started but not finished so not sure how long that will take, but hopefully not long.

Please review

Until next time!


	9. Decisions

**Sweetest Addiction helped me write this chapter and with ideas thanks. Sorry it's been a while since I spoke to you babe, had a lot going on.

* * *

**

**Chapter 9 –Decisions**

Rayne sat in the passenger seat of Brian's car. Rayne had been riding with Suki but when they stopped for gas just under half way in to the journey Brian asked if Mia would swap with Rayne so he could talk with her.

Rayne wasn't going to make it easy for him she had been silently staring out of the window at the traffic whizzing past, he attempted 3 times to open his mouth and talk to her but nothing would come out. "You go see mom and dad before you came home this morning?"

"Yeah" she sighed "thought I should explain a few things to them" Rayne believed her parents were looking down on her and watching her every move so she felt she had to explain her reasons for sleeping with Roman. Not that she was sure what her reasons were, she knew the whole time she would still go to New York, and maybe it was a little harsh doing that to him but he wanted it to happen just as much as she did. It was too late now it had happened!

"You tell them about Rome?"

"They already know"

"You think their happy about it?"

"Mom would be she always liked Rome, dad on the other hand would be like you"

"You gotta understand where I'm coming from Rayne, I knew Rome I know how he treats women I know what all his…"

Rayne interrupted him "you only know cause you taught him everything he knows! He was really timid and shy till you got your claws on him and he just got a little better at things than you were"

"Still he hasn't exactly got the best rep with women"

"And what's that got to do with shit? Your reps kinda shitty to but still you got a long term girlfriend"

"Me and Mia are different"

"What is this Bri?" Rayne sighed she didn't wanna talk about Roman right now "me and Rome aren't together I'm leaving like you wanted so what's with all the questions and explanations?"

Brian sighed; he wasn't so sure he was doing the right thing lately by sending her to New York, maybe she should be here with Roman even if he didn't like the idea "this is all about your head being messed up! I know you must be really confused and stuff about Rome and Damien… so I've booked and paid for you to see a psychiatrist…I only booked 10 sessions, so it's like 10 hours"

"Why do I need to see a shrink?"

"Cause you won't talk to me about anything maybe you'll talk to someone else"

"I'm not going"

"Please Rayne for me…just try it once you don't like it don't go back, please"

Rayne sighed "if it will get me out of this car then yeah I'll do it"

"What the hell happened to us Rayne?" Brian asked sighing, this wasn't the relationship he had or wanted with his sister, not being able to stand to be around him "we use to be so close, you'd come to me with any problems you had we'd talk about everything"

"You ran off to play cop remember and I grew up"

"Rayne I'm sorry I left but it was something I had to do, I had to prove to dad I could be just as much of a man that he was"

"It's not just that! Ever since they died you've been trying to be my father, I don't need another dad Brian, I need a brother! One that tries to see things from my point of view instead of just point blank telling me I can't do something"

"Or date a certain someone?"

"I don't see what you got against me and Rome! He's your best friend if he's good enough to be your best friend then surely he's good enough to date your sister"

Brian sighed heavily, telling her what he was about to say would either make her love him or hate him that little bit more "I don't have anything against it…it was just a shock and you lied to me about it! If you'd just been honest from the beginning then it would have been fine!"

"So what are you saying?" Rayne asked

"I'm saying if you don't wanna go to New York you don't have to, if being here and with Rome is what you really want then I'll turn around and take you to him" Brian looked over at her quickly she seemed even more confused now. Her brain was working over time

"You couldn't have told me this three weeks ago?"

"I didn't realize till a few days ago how miserable you both were without the other, I guess I didn't want you to be in love or whatever cause you still seem like a little kid to me, but I know now that you have grown up and you can make your own mistakes"

"You saying Rome would be a mistake?"

"No, but he hurts you and I'll kill him and if you hurt him I'll kill you" she smiled at him weakly, after a few minutes of silence Brian asked "so we turning around or what?"

he was giving her permission to stay, not that she needed it but still to have his approval to be with Roman was great, but question was did Roman want her? Of course he did he told her last night he didn't want her to go, but after this morning she wasn't so sure. She had a decision to make and she needed to make it fast.

"I slept with him last night" she told him, Brian looked at her, she looked back at him "I know you probably don't wanna hear it but I need to talk about it"

"Fine" he took a deep breath "go ahead"

"I told him before it happened that I was still going to New York and he wouldn't talk me out of it, he knew I was still going and then this morning I told him it was the perfect goodbye and he didn't say anything, he seemed fine with it. Then we were in the kitchen talking to Suki and Tej and he was acting like a real ass made some comment about me being a hit and run whore. Now I'm hella confused, last night he's telling me he's in love with me and then this morning he's saying I'm a whore"

"It's Rome's way of blocking out his feelings…he wants you Rayne and you saying it was a way to say goodbye probably hurt him a lot, I know it would me if it were Mia. It's his way of telling himself he don't love you"

"So what do I do? Do I not go to New York or what?"

"I can't make that decision you have to" she sighed she didn't know what to do. Brian began telling her about being undercover and Mia having to chose between him and her brother "when she walked away towards Dom, I told myself I hated her, that I was never falling for her it was just an act for being undercover but I did, no matter how much I tried I couldn't block her out she was always there, Rome's probably like that with you, he's trying to block you out"

Rayne closed her eyes and sighed heavily men! Brothers, boyfriends, and bosses they were all so confusing!

* * *

Brian, Suki, Mia and Rayne sat at a table in the airport eating lunch, Rayne still had 2 hours before her flight so they were killing time. Brian had made the mistake of telling Suki that he approved of Roman and Rayne and again Suki jumped to the conclusion that Rayne would stay in Miami. "Suk's I need to get away from Miami, with Damien around I'm constantly looking over my shoulder I'm afraid to be alone I don't need that right now, I just wanna get away and the way Rome spoke to me this morning I don't think he wants me to stay"

"that's bull shit and you know it" Suki replied angrily, she didn't want Rayne to leave anymore than Roman did "you told him you were leaving after you slept with the guy how do you think he's gonna react?"

"He knew before we had sex Suk's, he knew all along and he still went through with it so don't tell me that he thought I'd stay after, he knew!"

"I just don't get why you're running away from him? He's in love with you, he wants you so bad and you're running away from it"

"Cause I'm scared Suk's" Rayne explained "I've never felt the way I do about anyone before and it scares the hell out of me. What if I'm a phase with him? We all know Rome don't spend more than like a month with one woman, I just don't see why I'm so different to him, and he might love me this month but what about when a new piece of ass shows up at races?"

"That wont happen" Suki assured her

"How can you be so sure? You can't, I'm going to New York and if he still wants me when I get back then he can have me I just need to do this for me right now" Suki dropped the subject and the four of them decided to do some airport shopping.

* * *

"Tej this is a bad idea" Roman said speeding down the highway in the direction of the airport, he guessed they were about 15 minutes away "she don't want me you heard what she said this morning"

"You said some fucked up things too man, you don't want her to leave thinking you think she's a hit and run whore do you?" Tej asked looking over at Roman from the passenger seat, Roman's expression was sour, Tej knew he felt bad for his whore comment.

"No I don't but would you talk to me after I called you that?"

"She gave as good as she got dude, but still you gotta go there and tell her you didn't mean it and you want her to stay"

"And what if she leaves anyway?"

"She won't?"

"How do you know?"

"Cause she wants you just as much as you want her"

"Maybe we should just turn around and wait for her to come home" Roman suggested. Tej told him to suck up his pride and drive and reminded him that if he doesn't go to the airport he was fired.

Roman and Tej ran through the airport, Tej had the flight numbers, he had sent a text message to Suki and asked for them, her flight was boarding according to the TV screens, Suki had replied to his message with the information and to tell him she would try and stall to the very last minute.

They had a diversion and maybe a little extra time then they normally would have now all Roman needed to do was grow the balls to do this! Roman saw Brian, Mia, Suki and Rayne through the crowd and stopped running, Tej stopped to. "What's wrong?" Tej asked him trying to catch his breathe.

"Look at her" Roman told Tej pointing through the river of people walking around as if they were in a rush, Tej looked at Rayne she was smiling and talking "she's happy, this is obviously what she wants"

"Look Rome, we made it this far, you owe it to yourself if no one else to do this!"

"She's happy Tej, if she wanted to be here and with me, she would be..."

"You know what Rome, maybe your right or maybe you're just too much of a chicken shit to actually show someone how you feel!" Tej was sick of his attitude and walked towards Suki and the others.

Suki turned her head to look at him. "What are you doing here?" she asked surprised

"Ummm… I don't really have a reason." He shrugged. She shook her head and kissed him lightly.

Rome stood still behind a wall support and gazed at the scene before him. Tej was sitting down with Suki on his lap. Both Tej and Suki had these big goofy smiles as Suki's cheek's turn into a soft pink; blushing from the sweet nothings Tej had whispered in her ear. Rome shook his head and shifted his gaze somewhere else; where romance wasn't involved. Across from Tej and Suki, Brian and Mia who sat across from each other at the little built in Italian restaurant inside the airport, feeding each other and giggling; _Brian doesn't giggle_...He thought to himself. Only when he's with Mia though, he added reminding himself he was deliberately making himself sick watching the two happy couples of the month exchange lovey dovey signals. He turned to where he heard two voices barking at each other. And oh of course, Dom and Letty where approaching the group, they had obviously come to say goodbye to Rayne and where at each other's neck already; fighting over something obviously stupid and pointless.

"What do you mean you weren't staring at her ass! I saw you! You can't deny it if she was right beside me and I caught you red handed!" Letty yelled at Dom causing a scene. Dom walked to her, closing the gap between them, he attempted to calm her by holding her hands in his and smiled politely at the travellers who where passing by, whispering to their spouses of what disturbance they were making in a public place.

"Letty, baby, you gotta calm down." He said through a smile. Letty pulled her hands out of his.

"Calm down? I just caught you staring at some other girl's ass who was standing right beside me and you're telling me to calm down!" Rome chuckled from where he stood shaking his head, 'Brotha got caught!' he said under his breathe still chuckling.

"Letty…" Dom started, running a hand over his bald head. "I wasn't starring at her ass." He said approaching her, enclosing the small gap that still remained between them. "I was starring at your ass." He looked into her eyes and took her hands in his. "I swear." He bent his head down to whisper something un-audible from where Rome stood but he knew from the small smile that crept onto her lips to the light shade of red that her cheeks turned, Dom had wooed her over. Rome breathed in and shook his head. Was it him or was _everyone_ other than him getting what they want. He stared away from everyone and thought about exactly what it is he wanted.

Rayne was something that was always off limits. It was kind of like an un-written rule he always obeyed. If it wasn't because she was too young it was because she was too good, and if It wasn't that it was because she was Brian's sister. He had come close once to breaking that rule and stood there thinking about her he remembered that night…

**FLASHBACK **

_Roman was shooting hoops in the backyard of the O'Connor house at 10 pm, he could hear Mr and Mrs O'Connor yelling at Brian for something he had done, for not getting off his lazy ass and getting a job, Brian was yelling back telling his parents that he was 22 and could do what he wished. _

_Roman thought it was best to keep out of the way so he stayed in the garden and played basketball alone. He heard a car pull up on the drive and walked to the side of the house to investigate, it was a 16 year old Rayne coming home from her date with Devon, Roman didn't like Devon, he was 19 and a jerk, Rayne was way to good for him. __Devon__ drove off and Rayne heard the shouting coming from the house and walked around the back as she noticed Roman watching her. _

_"Hey" Rayne said walking in to the yard. _

_"Hi" he replied throwing the ball and scoring again. _

_"what's he done now?" she asked looking up at the house hearing her father and brother yelling at one another, it was all they seemed to do lately, well when their father was home instead of working all they did was fight. _

_"Something to do with Delinda!"__ Roman explained, Rayne rolled her eyes and Roman laughed. _

"What?"

_"Nothing" Roman knew not to mention Delinda to Rayne, she had made her feelings about her quite clear, "you want a game?" he asked _

_  
"It's not exactly a game it's me kicking you ass!" Rayne said walking towards him. _

_"Well bring it girly" he told her. _

_Roman threw the basketball to Rayne and she dribbled it a few feet away from the hoop and just bounced it on the spot. It was __10.15 pm__ and it was still quite warm, warm nights meant light nights, so the security light that kept blinking on every time one of them walked in front of the censor was unnecessary. She bounced the ball and Roman crouched in front of her. They played a game of one on one, Roman deciding it was the first to ten and when Rayne scored 10 to his 7 he changed it to first one to 20 and when Rayne was on 20 to his 13 he decided to give up and just shoot some hoops. All the while the shouting hadn't stopped. _

_"When'd you get so good?" he inquired dribbling the ball away from the hoop. _

_"__Devon__" she replied_

_"So things serious with you two?__ It's been what three months now?"_

_"Make the shot and I'll answer you" she challenged as he reached her side after retrieving the ball. He bounced the ball a few times then aimed and got nothing but net. "Serious-ish, sometimes he seems like he wants a serious relationship and others he seems like he wants to keep his options open" Rayne explained collecting the ball. "How about you and the psycho Helen?" Helen was Roman's girlfriend, she was a real bunny boiler and Rayne always made a point of telling Roman. _

_"Make the shot" he said using her own challenge against her. She threw the ball and scored "we broke up" _

_"Shit hide all the bunny's" Rayne laughed, Roman laughed with her, they messed around a while longer waiting for the shouting to stop _

_"That's cheating" Roman moaned once Rayne had tripped him over accidentally _

_"I didn't do it on purpose" she said offering her hand to help him up letting the ball roll away,_

_"yeah right, I know your dirty tricks O'Connor" he took her hand but instead of using her to help him up he pulled her down, she landed on top of him almost hitting her head against his._

_"if there's one dirty mark on these trousers your in so much trouble" she warned him. Roman didn't reply he stared deep in to her eyes, they were both breathing deeply they were both tired from playing basketball, she stared down at him to trying to figure out what he was thinking, he stroked a stray hair behind her ear, she felt him hold his breathe as he slowly moved his head towards her as their lips were about to touch she said "Rome"_

_"umm?" he asked his eyes closed his hand still by her ear _

_"what are you doing?"_

_he__ opened his eyes and looked at her "nothing" she moved from atop him and stood up he stood up too, what the hell had he been thinking? She was Brian's sister, his adoptive sister, he knew better, there was rules against that kind of thing. "sorry" he said_

_"if it's nothing why are you sorry?" Rayne asked as Brian slammed out of the back door looking angry as hell._

**END OF FLASHBACK**

now that she was old enough, had gotten even more beautiful than years ago and that they had tested the fact that she was Brian's sister there were no boundaries. Why did it seem so hard for him to go after her right now?

Just as he was about ready to leave the happy people and move into his own world of sadness and melancholy Dom approached him.

"Hey Rome" He nodded in acknowledging his presence, but his eyes remained on Rayne. Dom followed his gaze.

"You really love her, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Then go after her man, stop slouching around and go after her! Tell her how special she is to you and stop her from leaving your sorry ass."

"It's not that easy-"

"I know, I use to go through this all the time with Let. Tell her before it becomes too late and you do loose her." Rome wasn't sure what to do but he was sure he wanted Rayne to stay. By instinct in a matter of seconds, he swiftly rushed to where she stood by waving at the gate, falling in line with the rest of the passengers.

"Rayne! Rayne…Rayne! Wait!" He called after her moving through the throbbing crowd. Rayne's head turned to the direction of his voice. He rushed to her side, but the crowd of impatient passengers washed her to where she was supposed to board the plane. Rome ran to the window banging madly to get her attention.

Rayne made an apologetic look and smiled weakly. 'I'm sorry.' She mouthed. She shrugged a little "I have …I …I have to go! I have to do this" She yelled, turning away from the window and back in line.

Roman stood and watched as she disappeared out of his view and on to the plane. He stared at the window for a few minutes waiting for her to run back have an argument with the stewardess who wouldn't let her off the plane like they do in the movies, but she didn't. Roman watched as the last people walked through the gates. Brian walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder "I'm sorry man" Roman turned and walked away not saying a word to anyone and keeping his head down as he passed them.

* * *

**A/N: **Hey all

Sorry its been a while, I started my new job last Monday, my boyfriend dumped me the Thursday before so it's been a manic week and haven't had time to write.

But I'm posting this chapter for now. Not sure how long it will be till the next chapter but keep checking back.

Remember to review please!


	10. I'm Pregnant

Sorry it's been a while, work and trying to have a life has got in the way but I'm posting this now, not sure how long it will be till the next chap and not sure if I will post the next chapter.

I have up until chap 12 and then I'm totally out of ideas, haven't wrote anything in over a month so this maybe all you get.

Sorry folks, any ideas let me know and I will try to get some writing done on weekends. Anyway enjoy and remember to review!

* * *

**Chapter 10 – "I'm Pregnant"**

Roman sat in a corner of Tej's his head leaning against the wall his beer in his hand resting on his knee, his eyes were closed he was thinking about Rayne, but what else was new? That's all he had done since she had taken off to New York 2 weeks ago.

Rayne had called his cell phone a few times in the time she had been away but he didn't answer, he didn't know what to say and was afraid of breaking down over the phone. She had sent him text messages too he had read and kept them but hadn't replied. He took his phone from his pocket and opened one of the messages she had sent him:

**_Rome please answer your phone, I'm sorry I left I had to get away for a while sort everything out. Please don't be mad at me. I love you I know it might not seem like it right now but I do! Please just call me or text me. _**

That was the last text she had sent him four days ago and he hadn't replied. He put his phone back in his pocket and sighed then he felt it vibrate against his chest, he pulled it out again and looked at the caller ID, it was Rayne. He returned the ringing phone to his pocket and ignored the call.

Brian watched Roman from across the room and felt like shit his best friend was hurting and it was all his fault, if he hadn't have put the idea in Rayne's head about going to NY then maybe she never would have gone, although he had told her he approved of her and Roman and that she could stay she had gone anyway so maybe he wasn't completely to blame but still he was partly responsible.

"He's really taken it bad ain't he?" Suki asked standing besides Brian watching Roman to.

"Yeah and it's my fault"

"She had the chance to stay Bri, you told her that and she still left"

"I know but I put the idea in to her head about going and I didn't even take the time to ask if things were serious between them I just jumped to conclusions and told her point blank it had to stop"

"Stop blaming yourself and go over there and talk to him"

"And say what?"

"I don't know" Suki said staring at Roman. Who rested his head on the wall behind him again and closed his eyes. Melissa walked over to him, they were both to far away to hear what she said but Roman wasn't impressed by whatever it was and grabbed her hand and moved it away as she went to stroke it down his face. She said something else and walked away looking pissed off.

"And when he says no to a piece of ass like that you know the boys bugging about Rayne" Tej said slinking his arms around Suki.

"So Melissa is a nice piece of ass?" Suki asked.

Meanwhile…

Roman rested his head on the wall behind him and closed his eyes trying to block out the image of Rayne beneath him whilst he made love to her, but it was no good nothing was working if anything it was turning him on.

"Hey" he heard Melissa say, _great just what I need right now? Melissa and all her bull shit! _He opened his eyes as she stepped in front of him

He sighed "hi"

"I've missed you" she said "and I heard your little girlfriend left so I was thinking…" she began stroking her hand down his face but he grabbed it and pushed it away

"Well don't think…and don't you dare think anything about her" Melissa's friends stood a few feet away and laughed.

Melissa sighed she had been shot down she wouldn't let him get away with it she would get her revenge "we need to talk, its important, meet me outside in 5 minutes" before he could reply she walked away.

Roman stood up and walked towards Brian and Suki who were obviously talking about him as they were staring at him and stopped talking as he approached, "I'm out" Roman told them, he was leaving but had no intension of talking to Melissa.

"Taking Melissa home?" Suki asked her eyebrows raised

"So what if I am Suk's?" Roman asked, he was pissed off with everyone expecting him to wait around for Rayne to decide she wanted him! Everyone had told him to hang in there and that she would only be gone 6 weeks, he wasn't about to wait around for her to come home and tell him she didn't want him. "Rayne don't want me! She left remember? I'm not with her or anyone else I can do what the fuck I want"

"And when she comes home and you've been with Melissa?" Suki asked

"when she comes home she'll be with someone new or wont want me so what does it matter?"

"Rome she does want you she's just been through a lot she needs…" Suki began to stand up for her friend.

"Time" Roman interrupted "time to forget about me"

"Rome come on that isn't fair" Brian spoke up

"no you know what isn't fair BrO? The first girl I ever said I love you to and meant it, had to be the one person I could talk to, had to be my best friend and she took off! She wasn't forced she went willingly and now I'm all fucked up but i can't run off to new york!"

"Rome we know it must hurt but…" Suki began

Roman interrupted "no you don't Suk's you don't know how it feels, you don't know what it feels like to have someone rip your heart out and break it in to a million pieces, you don't know what its like to want someone that doesn't want you, you don't know Suk's so don't pretend you do" Roman told them angrily, he was sick of people telling him how they knew how he felt they didn't! No one did! He walked out of the garage leaving them to think about what he had said.

* * *

Roman walked to his car trying his hardest suppress the tears that wanted to fall, he had cried the first three days after she had left, he didn't usually cry, he was a man, but Rayne made him like mush and he couldn't help the emotions that he felt about her. The tears were angry tears now he was pissed off with everything. He got in to his car and hit the steering wheel with his hands a couple times. "FUCK!" he yelled aloud. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breathes, he was going crazy thinking about her all the time, he wanted to smack his head against a wall a couple hundred times to get rid of the memory of her.

Someone knocked on his window and he jumped, he looked up to see Melissa staring at him through the window he rolled down the window "Melissa please I'm so not in the mood for you right now can we…"

Melissa stopped him quickly by saying "I'm pregnant"

"What!" Roman almost yelled. Melissa was pregnant! And if she was telling him he figured it was his although if her reputation was true he couldn't be sure.

"Yeah 3 weeks and yeah it's yours! I haven't been with anyone since you" she said sincerely

"We always used protection"

"Yeah well one must have split or something cause I'm pregnant" Roman sat in the car speechless, his head was fucked up because of Rayne but now he had something extra to add to it. "Say something"

"Get in we need to talk" he told her starting the engine as she walked around the car.

* * *

Brian walked in to the quiet house at 3AM the same night, Mia had work in the morning and it was easier for her to go from her house instead of Brian's so he was alone. Roman's car was in the drive way so he knew he was home. He walked in to find Roman half hanging off the couch with a three quarter empty bottle of Jack Daniels in his left hand.

Brian took the bottle from his hand and tried to wake him to get him to get in to his bed where he would be more comfortable. "Rome" he said shaking him slightly, Roman stirred but didn't wake he adjusted his position on the couch and began to snore. Brian had no way of getting him upstairs without waking him so Brian attached the lid to the bottle of Jack Daniels and put it in the kitchen. He left Roman on the couch and went to bed.

* * *

Brian walked down the stairs the following day and in to the kitchen, Roman was sat at the table with his head in his hands and a box of aspirin besides a glass of water. Brian made him self a cup of coffee before sitting across the table from Roman. "Bro, drinking ain't the answer to forgetting about Rayne"

"She's only 80 of my problem, man" Roman moved his hands from his face and looked Brian in the eyes before saying "Melissa's pregnant"

Brian held the coffee mug that was half way to his mouth "that's only a 20 problem?"

Roman sighed and ran his hands over his face and head "I said I'll stand by her whatever she wants to do and she wants to keep it"

"Shit" Brian let out a deep breath almost as if he had been holding it.

"Yeah shit! What the fuck am I gonna do man? I don't love the girl I barely like the girl, I don't wanna be with her but she's carrying my kid"

"You sure?" Roman looked at Brian not understanding his question so Brian elaborated "you sure it's your kid? She ain't exactly miss only sleep with one guy"

"She seemed confident it was mine, said she ain't slept with anyone else but me and what do I do? Deny its mine and wait till it's born to have DNA tests? I ain't doin that shit man, if it is my kid I'm gonna take care of them both" Roman stressed "I ain't gonna be no fucking pussy like my dad and take off and leave her alone!"

"Just think it through man" Brian advised "if it isn't yours you will have wasted 9 months taking care of someone else's unborn kid! And if you don't wanna be with the women, just give her money and shit for now then when the baby is born make some plans to see it"

"Things weren't meant to turn out this way" Roman growled

"And what were they meant to be like? Falling for Rayne? Was that part of your life plan?"

Roman looked at him again "no, it definitely wasn't my plan, I was gonna be a playa for life man, travel the world screwing anything that walked and then Rayne happened!" he groaned

"You met the one that made you wanna stop all that shit" Brian nodded in understanding

"Yeah" Roman sounded as if he regretted falling for Rayne "dude my life sucks! I can't be with the woman I love and the woman I don't particularly like is having my kid!"

"If you can't love the one you want love the one your with!"

Roman chuckled at his friend, Brian was being all philosophical "that's fucked up man, but I don't have any other choice!" Roman stood up and walked to the sink and tipped the remaining water from his glass in to the sink then walked to exit to the kitchen "oh if you talk to Rayne don't mention any of this to her, I'll tell her when she gets home"

"Sure thing man"

* * *

Oh look a nifty review button, imagine that! 


	11. Coming Home

**A/N:** Ok I know it's been a while I apologies, been busy and ran out of ideas, I have a few now but still might take me a while so bare with me but I swear you will have a story! Review let me know what you think, give me some ideas, suggestions etc

ENJOY!

**Chapter 11 – Coming Home**

**Two weeks later… **

Rayne had never been so nervous, it wasn't the flying she was afraid of, the plane had already landed she was in a cab on the way home. She was nervous because she had come home two weeks early, she had only been gone a month and in that month she had realized, that she never should have left in the first place.

She was going home early to be with Roman. She would pick her car up from home and then go straight to races, where she knew Roman would be and she was going to run in to his arms and tell him she was in love with him and she was sorry that she left and if he would let her she wanted to make a go of things with him. She was nervous and excited but she was going to do it no matter what! Even if she arrived home and he was dating someone else she was going to tell him.

"Thanks and good luck" the driver said taking the cash Rayne handed to him, she had been telling the driver all about her and Roman and he wished her luck.

"Thanks" Rayne smiled exited the cab taking her suitcase with her, she knew no one would be in it they would be partying plus they didn't know she was coming home. She opened the front door with her key left her suitcase at the bottom of the stairs and found her car keys in the kitchen draw where Brian thought they were safe.

Rayne ran out of the front door a huge smile on her face and raced to her car, she may have broken a few speed limits on the way to Tej's but she didn't get caught so it didn't matter. She parked up outside and then entered still with that huge smile on her face. She walked around and found Mia and Letty first.

"You're back early!" Mia screamed hugging her

"I got some stuff to take care of" Rayne explained, Letty hugged her and told her it was good to have her home, Rayne asked where Brian and Suki were and Mia pointed in the direction of the beer, "I'll catch up with you guys later" Rayne said before walking off.

Rayne walked to where she knew the beer was kept in Tej's and found Brian, Suki, Tej and Roman laughing, no one noticed her at first, she watched Roman for a second and lost her bottle she wasn't going to tell him, she would wait for a better time.

Rayne walked up behind Suki and placed her hands over her eyes "guess who?" Tej asked, Suki traced her hand down Rayne's arm trying to figure it out and came across the Tiffany's bracelet and let out a small scream before jumping around and hugging her friend.

"your home, your home" Suki said almost squeezing the life out of Rayne, Rayne laughed and hugged Brian and Tej once Suki had released her.

Neither Rayne nor Roman moved in to hug the other they looked at one another and just said hello. "Why you home early?" Brian asked

"Nice to see you too bro!" Brian gave her a sarcastic look "I just wanted to come home, New York gets boring after a while" she lied, she was home because of Roman when nobody said anything else Rayne asked "so what's the gossip? What I miss?"

Everyone looked at the other with a worried expression and then all eyes fell on Roman, "can we go somewhere and talk?" he asked looking at Rayne.

"Sure" she replied not liking everyone's change of attitude. Roman gestured for Rayne to walk away "lead the way" she told him. He walked out of the circle and Rayne followed. He wasn't prepared for this he thought he had another two weeks to figure out what he was going to say to her. Roman lead Rayne out of Tej's and towards her car

"I've had to much to drink to drive" he told her, she opened the car using her fob and Roman got in to the passenger seat, he told her to drive somewhere where there wouldn't be any people so they could talk without being interrupted.

Rayne wasn't sure where to drive but she ended up on the beach, she stopped and killed the engine, Roman looked over at her and sighed he exited the car and sat on the bonnet she didn't follow straight away but she opened her door and asked "I'm not gonna like this am I?"

"No" he told her honestly. She closed the door and sat beside him on the bonnet, neither one spoke they both gazed out at the ocean enjoying the air that cooled them, Rayne shivered slightly "cold?"

"Yeah" she said rubbing her arms, he stood up from off the bonnet and stood in front of her and rubbed her arms for her and then pulled her closer to him, hugging her. She didn't push him away and wrapped her arms around his waist and leant her head on his stomach.

Rayne knew it was hard for Roman to share his feelings or tell someone something he knew they weren't going to like so she wouldn't push him, she would just wait for him to tell her in his own time.

After a while of standing in his arms Rayne stood up straight and stared up at his face, his eyes were closed and he was breathing heavily. "Why'd you really come home early?" he could always tell when she was lying, he looked down at her.

"cause I realized I made a mistake by leaving in the first place…I made a mistake by leaving you" there it was, exactly what he had wanted to hear for the past month, he couldn't help himself he had to feel her close to him, he leaned down and kissed her. His hands began to wander around her body, she put her hands up his shirt and used her nails to tickle his stomach, he groaned with his mouth still on hers. Roman ran his hands down her back and found her butt, he squeezed each cheek and then picked her up, she wrapped her legs around him and he gently lay her on the car bonnet and began tracing kisses down her neck. "Rome stop" she groaned "stop" he stopped and looked up at her, she caught her breath "what did you have to tell me first?"

He moved away from her and she slid down the car before her feet hit the floor and she stood up, he walked away from her and stared up at the sky "FUCK!" he yelled

"Rome you're scaring me!" she told him

he turned around and walked towards her "Rayne I'm so sorry" he began standing close to her "you know its you that I want right?" she sort of nodded but didn't want to interrupt him "shit….I don't know how to say this…"

"Just say it Rome"

he sighed and took a few deep breathes "Melissa's pregnant and it's mine" Rayne's eyes filled with tears and he hated that he was the cause of it, "I'm sorry" she walked away from him and kept her back to him "we're not together, I told her I'd be there for her and the baby but I wouldn't date her…I don't want her" Rayne turned around and walked towards the car and opened the door "say something please?" Roman begged

"Congratulations" she said getting in to the car and starting the engine; Roman ran to the passenger side and opened the door.

"Please stay so we can talk"

Rayne leant her elbow on the window and bit her thumb nail "get in the car Rome"

"Rayne please"

"Rome get in the car or I'll run you down" she threatened revving the engine

"Rayne…" he began

"ROME I SWEAR IF YOU DON'T GET IN THE DAMN CAR…" Rayne yelled, Roman knew not to upset her further and did as he was told and got in to the car.

Rayne drove home recklessly "Slow down!" Roman warned "your gonna kill us both?" he held on to the door and braced himself for the collision with the car coming towards them as Rayne overtook a car in the wrong lane. She avoided the crash and got in to the proper lane in time

"And what'd be so bad about that?"

Roman sighed and looked out of the window "Rayne I'm so sorry…I didn't mean for it to happen… we were always careful"

"Rome save me the details of your sex life" no more was said Rayne parked her car on the drive and walked in to the house, calmly, she didn't seem pissed off or angry, she was fine. Brian and Mia sat in the living room watching TV waiting for them to return home.

"Everything cool?" Brian asked standing up when Rayne entered the room followed by Roman.

"Yeah why wouldn't it be?" Rayne asked sitting on the free arm chair and beginning to take off her sneakers.

Brian looked up at Roman who stood leaning on the door frame his arms crossed watching Rayne, Roman looked at Brian and shrugged "you didn't let me finish" Roman announced looking at Rayne

"Can you finish in the morning?" Rayne asked standing up holding her sneakers in her hand to put them in their right place on her way to bed "I'm jet lagged I need some sleep" she walked past him in the door way and called goodnight to everyone and then they heard her close her bedroom door.

"She took it better than I expected" Brian said as Roman sat in the chair Rayne had been sat in previously.

"She threatened to run me over" Roman told him

"Ok maybe not"

"Go tell her the rest Rome" Mia instructed "she needs to know everything at once so she can process it"

"I got no chance Mia, there's no point"

"You don't know till you try" Brian informed him

"Come on" Roman began looking at Mia "would you date Brian knowing some other women was carrying his baby?"

"Yeah cause I love him" Mia answered

"Stop putting it off and go tell her" Brian commanded

Roman growled because he was being ordered around but he knew they were right, he stood up and walked up to Rayne's bedroom door. He knocked on the door then entered the room; Rayne was sat on her bed on her cell phone.

"Yeah Suk's I'll come round when I get up but it wont be early…yeah that's cool…we can go out for lunch or something…missed you to babe, later" Rayne hung up and looked up at Roman "what?"

He sat besides her on the bed and looked at her "I need to tell you everything"

"What Melissa's moving in?"

"No, Rayne I wanna be with you, I don't want Melissa, obviously I'm gonna take care of my kid…"

She interrupted "cause you don't wanna be your father right?"

He nodded "yeah, Rayne if you want me I wanna be with you, I want us to be a couple"

Rayne looked at him and searched his face for any kind of sign that he was joking "you're serious?" he nodded, yes "you really think Melissa would let that happen, I don't think so Rome"

"She'd have to live with it"

"Rome, I came back to be with you but things are totally different now, I don't know if I could date you while Melissa is having your kid"

"I understand, I just wanted you to know that the offer is there if you want me…" he spoke softly "I'm yours"

She smiled weakly "I just need some time to think and stuff"

"Just as long as you don't run off to New York again"

She laughed lightly "no I'm not going anywhere" he kissed her forehead and said goodnight before leaving the room.

* * *

Rayne walked down the stairs seeing Roman and Brian sat on their beanbags playing Playstation, she had been upstairs getting ready to go out shopping with Suki and someone had been knocking on the door for the last 5 minutes and neither of them seemed to hear it "can you two not hear the pounding on the door or what?" Rayne called in to them getting to the bottom of the stairs and opening the door

"We thought you'd get it" Brian called not taking his eyes off the car racing game.

"What am I the fucking maid?" she mumbled to herself as she opened the front door. She looked up to see Melissa with a smug smile on her face.

"Heard you were home" Melissa said walking in to the house; Rayne closed the door behind her. "He told you?" Melissa asked turning to look at Rayne before she walked in to the living room.

"Yeah, congratulations" Rayne walked past her and in to the living room

"So now you know to stay away from my man" Melissa told her walking over to Roman and placing her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek, he moved her arms and stood up.

"You sure he's your man?" Rayne asked "cause I hadn't been back an hour and we we're lying on my car bonnet getting a little hot and heavy" Rayne placed a smug grin on her face and waited for the words to register. "I'm going out with Suki I will be back later" Rayne said looking at Brian and then Roman

Rayne left and Melissa turned to Roman and began to scream obscenities at him about how she was carrying his baby and he was off shagging Rayne. "First of all…" Roman began pointing a finger in her face "don't shout at me, second I ain't your man and third I didn't sleep with Rayne last night"

"I don't like you living here with _her_! If you want anything to do with your kid I suggest you find some other living arrangements" Melissa demanded.

* * *

Rayne drove to Suki's with a smile on her face, she had so got one over on Melissa, but it wouldn't last long, she knew that Roman would pay for what she had said. Rayne entered the Parker residence and called out Suki's name, "in here" Suki called back from the kitchen.

"Hey" Rayne said entering the kitchen to see Tej, Suki and Tej's cousin Tyler.

"You remember Tej's Cousin Tyler right?" Suki asked Rayne

"I remember him being a scrawny little geek with glasses and braces, not an Omarion look-a-like"

Tyler laughed and showed off his pure white picture perfect teeth and walked closer to Rayne and offered his hand for her to shake "and I remember making you cry by telling you the Backstreet Boys were gay"

Rayne shook his hand and laughed too "nice to see you again"

"Believe me the pleasure is all mine"

"Ok when you two are done flirting I would like to get my torture of shopping over and done with" Tej said ushering them towards the door and out of the house. Suki slapped his arm and told him to stop moaning.

Suki and Tej rode in the same car and Rayne offered to take Tyler with her, he didn't complain and they drove to the mall in deep conversation.

"I just finished mechanic school, Tej said he'd always have a job for me so here I am" Tyler answered Rayne's question of why he was here.

"So you're staying in Miami then?"

"Till I make my million and can open my own garage"

"You're definitely related to Tej, it's all about the money"

"It ain't about the money; it's about having a vision and a dream and chasing it, no matter what it takes"

Rayne nodded "I like that"

* * *

Roman sighed, he and Melissa were going round in circles, he refused to move out of the house and told her she had no say whatsoever about whom he had relationships with. She threatened him with the usual; she would stop him from seeing his child.

"If you stop me from seeing my kid, you'll get no money from me and you can't afford to keep yourself let alone a kid!" Roman told her

"I just don't like that you live here with her!" Melissa explained

"Yeah well you'll just have to get use to it"

"I shouldn't have to!" Melissa yelled, Roman gave her a look that said he was on the edge of blowing up at her, so she calmed down and returned her voice to its normal pitch and tone. "I'm carrying your kid, whether you like it or not, we should at least try to be a couple for the baby's sake!" Roman began to say something but she placed her finger on his lips to silence him "when you've got Rayne out of your system have a think about it" Roman didn't reply and Melissa left him alone in the living room to ponder his thoughts.

* * *

Suki, Tej, Tyler and Rayne pilled in to Tej's and Suki's house after a long day of shopping. Tyler walked up the stairs with his shopping bags to unpack his new things. After sitting down at the kitchen table Rayne's phone called out the tune of 50 Cent's – Outta Control. She flipped open the phone and put it to her ear "hey Mia…cool thanks…he in a good mood... so I'm not gonna help then…I'll be home in about 15, bye"

"What's that all about?" Suki asked handing her a can of Pepsi.

"Telling me Melissa's gone"

"And your not gonna help what?" Tej asked

"Your gonna tell him no aren't you?" Suki asked "that your not gonna be with him right?" Rayne took a sip of her Pepsi and then stood up to leave "answer the question"

"What do you expect me to do Suk's huh? Date him while some other women carries his child? I can't deal with that, it would be too much trouble, Melissa would make things hard for us, it's just not a realistic idea!"

"But you wanna be with him" Suki reminded her

"Yeah well I can't think about myself right now I need to do what's best for Roman and his kid, even if he doesn't realise it" Suki nodded as if she understood what Rayne had said but still wasn't happy about her decision. "I'll call you tomorrow"

"You not coming to races?" Suki asked as Rayne walked to the kitchen door

"No, I'm going to Diablo with a few people" Rayne told them, Diablo was one of Miami's hottest nightclubs. Tej knew some people who knew some people and could always get Rayne in when she wanted to go. Suki looked at Tej and knew he had hooked her up.

"Don't look at me like that, I didn't ask why she was going" Tej explained.

"Suki don't be mad at me it's just time I moved on…Tell Tyler I said bye" Rayne left the house and walked to her car sighing, knowing Suki was angry with her, and she wasn't entirely sure why.


	12. More Bad News

**A/N:** ok so I haven't posted or wrote anything in a long while but I have had some ideas and wanna start writing again so I am going to try! Any ideas, suggestions throw them my way!

I don't like this chapter but I have to get it out the way to post my other ideas so enjoy and remember to review!

Thanks!

**Chapter 12 – More Bad News**

Rayne strolled up the stairs to the house carrying her few shopping bags and opened the front door, the house was quiet, she heard the shower running upstairs, Brian and Roman must have been getting ready for races.

She slowly climbed the stairs trying to figure out how she would explain things to Roman, after going in to her room without being seen or heard by neither Roman nor Brian, she closed the door and sat on her bed thinking, she decided she should wait till tomorrow to tell Roman her decision, he would be useless at races angry and driving, it was for his own good, at least she told herself.

She quietly moved around her room hearing Brian and Roman getting ready. As she put her new silk halter neck black dress in the wardrobe her phone screamed 50 Cents- Outta Control again, she raced across the room to answer it but it would have been to late Brian and Roman would have heard it, "Hello" she answer quickly "hey Tyler…yeah sorry about that Suki was pissed at me I had to get out and fast…" her bedroom door opened and Roman appeared a towel wrapped around his bottom half, for having no hair that boy took his time to get ready after having a shower. Rayne held up her finger to tell Roman to wait "yeah going to a place called Diablo, just a few friends…yeah you can come babe, why'd you not wanna go races?" Rayne blushed and laughed, Roman noticed and didn't like it one bit "yeah I'll pick you up about 8...see you then babe" Rayne hung up and smiled at Roman "hey"

"When'd you get home?"

"A half hour ago"

"So the fact that your avoiding me is a bad thing right?"

"I wasn't avoiding you I was letting you and Brian get ready, you both take ages as it is didn't wanna make you late for races"

"Who was on the phone?"

"Tej's Cousin Tyler"

"Going on a date with him?"

"No, I'm going to Diablo's tonight, he wanted to come with"

"On a date?"

"No! Shit Rome, chill out"

"Sorry I just…"

"No it's understandable" they stood in silence staring at one another for what seemed like an eternity "I made a decision…and the answers no, I can't be with you while Melissa has your kid, I'm sorry"

Roman looked down at his feet and chewed his bottom lip, it was a habit Rayne knew well, he did it when he was nervous or upset and didn't know how to express his feelings. "I told everyone that but they made me ask anyway"

"I don't want this to be the end of us, I want us to be friends still, like we use to be before all this, us, happened"

"Can we really go back to that?"

"We can try"

He nodded his head "yeah I guess we can"

"I'm sorry Rome, I'm sorry everything got so messed up"

"Yeah me too"

"Friends?" she asked walking closer to him and opening her arms

"We're friends but I'm not sure we can be the hugging kinda friends just yet"

Rayne smiled weakly "I get it"

* * *

Rayne pulled up at Tej's and sounded the horn, Tyler walked out of the house looking fine in a pair of dark denim jeans and a black fitted shirt. Rayne bit her lip as he got in to the car and tried to shake the sordid thought that entered her mind. "Hey" he smiled as he sat besides her in the passenger seat.

"Hi" she replied "Tyler I'm not in the mood to party anymore do you fancy just getting something to eat?"

"Yeah sure" he replied "anything to spend sometime with the hottest girl in Miami" he was nice looking and had charm!

"You clearly haven't been to one of your cousins parties"

* * *

Suki found Roman and Brian talking by the DJ's booth and interrupted their conversation "Rome, pregnant women aren't supposed to drink and smoke"

"I know" he said frowning at her statement

"Well Melissa is drinking and smoking over there" Suki pointed towards the exit of Tej's and Roman took off in the same direction to educate her in the many things not to do whilst being pregnant.

Roman saw Melissa surrounded by a group of her racer chaser friends and saw her take a drag of a fag and let the smoke out slowly, he walked behind her and took the cigarette from her mouth and threw it to the floor, she span round on her heels and lost her angered look seeing Roman stood before her "what the fuck are you playing at? You don't smoke and drink while you're pregnant"

"I'm stressed I needed something to calm me!"

"I swear Melissa you carry on with all this shit and I'll walk away from you and the baby!"

"I'm sorry I just don't know what's going on? Everything's up in the air, we're not together, we're not gonna be together, I don't know anything!"

"yeah well I've been thinking about all that…" he began, seeing her friends were way to interested and listening to their conversation, he pulled Melissa aside and spoke quietly to her "…and maybe we should get our own place, we still wont be a couple, and we'll have our own rooms but that way I can be there for you whenever you need me"

A huge smile spread across Melissa's face "are you serious?"

"Yeah, it might take me a while to save some money up but I'll see if Tej can find us a cheap half decent place"

"Oh Rome!" Melissa said hugging him. She was getting everything she wanted, Roman and her living together was just a start, ok so they weren't going to be a couple still but it wouldn't take her long to change his mind if they lived together.

* * *

"So you don't have a boyfriend?" Tyler asked. They had ended up in a small Greek restaurant a few miles from Tej's house. They had eaten their starters and were waiting for their main courses.

"No" Rayne said picking up her glass of wine and taking a sip.

"Oohh, avoided eye contact it must have been bad"

Rayne laughed and looked up at him "it was… complicated"

"Isn't every relationship?"

"You sound like you know from experience"

"My girlfriend of two years decided she preferred the way my best friend did things" Rayne made a sympathetic face and told him she was sorry "don't be, someone who does that to you isn't worth it…so what's your story huh? What happened with you and your man?"

"How long you got?"

"All the time in the world for you cutie"

Rayne blushed but continued her story "you remember Roman Pearce, right?"

"Yeah, you two were like inseparable?"

"Yeah, well we came even more inseparable, we snuck around for a month or so, didn't tell anyone what was going on except Suki and Tej, Rome told me he was in love with me, I didn't believe him and everything just got to much, we ignored each other for a while and then my brother gave me a ticket to go back to New York" Rayne had previously told Tyler that she went to design school in New York "I saw it as the prefect opportunity to get away from everything, so I ran, didn't look back. But then I realised I wanted to be with him and I was going to be no matter what anyone thought, then I come home and find out some racer chaser is carrying his kid!"

"Wow! I thought my story was bad" Rayne smiled and took another sip of her wine as the waiter arrived at their table with their main courses.

* * *

Rayne stopped outside the garage where the party was clearly still going on, it was 12:47 AM so it wasn't much of a surprise. Tyler had asked what else there was to do in Miami so early in the evening and this was the only answer Rayne had.

Tyler opened his door but stopped when she saw Rayne made no attempt to kill the engine or get out of the car "you not coming?"

"No, I'm not in the party mood"

Tyler closed his door "then I'm not going"

"Don't let me spoil your fun, go ahead"

"I'm not going in there unless you come with me" Tyler proceeded to persuade Rayne to go in and didn't take any notice when she told him Melissa and Roman would be in there. "Look you said earlier you needed to start to get over him, put him behind you, by avoiding him your just making the process longer! And you will have to see them together eventually"

Rayne screamed out in frustration and the fact that she knew he was right "fine but if she starts shit don't say I didn't warn you" she killed the engine and exited the car knowing this was a really bad idea but proceeded to walk in anyway.

* * *

Tyler and Rayne found Brian, Tej, Dom, Leon, Mia, Letty and Suki in the back of the garage sat at the large table playing poker, Tyler introduced himself to everyone he didn't know and then went to get a himself and Rayne a drink.

"Diablo's a bust?" Tej asked Rayne glancing from his cards to her quickly

"I wasn't in the mood to party so we ended up going to the New Greek place in town"

"But it wasn't a date huh?" Roman asked standing behind Rayne, she turned and noticed how drunk he was, his eyes were bloodshot as hell and half closed, he was leaning against the doorframe which was clearly the only thing stopping him from falling to the floor.

"No it wasn't a date Rome"

"Bull shit!" he slurred "Diablo's was just a lie cause you wanted to go on a date with him"

Rayne rolled her eyes "believe what you want Rome I ain't having this conversation" Tyler walked around Roman and handed Rayne her glass of Pepsi then smiled and said hello to Roman.

"Have a good date with my girl?" Roman slurred stumbling towards Tyler

"It wasn't a date" Tyler assured Roman, Melissa entered the poker room, as it was known on a race night.

"Oh you're here" Melissa sneered at Rayne

"Go fuck yourself" Rayne told her

"You sleep with her?" Roman asked Tyler still walking closer to him "she's good ain't she? Really knows what she's doing, but tomorrow she'll run off to New York"

"here we go" Brian said placing his cards down and getting to his feet then standing in between Roman and Tyler before Roman did something stupid.

Roman continued to talk but Brian shouted above him "YOU'VE HAD ENOUGH COME ON LET'S GO!" and pushed him out of the door. Everyone looked at Rayne and waited for her to have some kind of reaction. She didn't speak she just turned and left the party.

* * *

Rayne stirred hearing the bedroom window open, she opened her eyes quickly and saw the black figure enter her bedroom, she wanted to scream but her breath was frozen in her throat, the figure crossed the room to her bed and looked down at her, the moonlight glistened through the open curtains and showed the intruders face, Damien, "hi Rayne" he spoke maliciously "I've come to finish what I started" with that he raised his hand and struck her face.

Rayne shot up in bed sweat dripping off her, she looked at the window, the curtains were closed just how they had been when she went to bed. She breathed heavily for a second reaching over to her beside lamp she turned it on and searched every corner of the room to make sure she had only been dreaming. Looking at the clock that was on the right side of her bed on another bedside cabinet she sighed, it flashed 5:17 AM.

Knowing she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep now, she got out of her bed and walked downstairs; she put on the coffee machine and sat at the table trying to force the image of Damien's angered face from her memory. Summer, her therapist had taught her the technique of going somewhere in her mind that made her happy, whilst in her therapy sessions her happy place was being with Roman in Barstow, just the two of them nothing holding them back not having to look over their shoulders, and this time was no different her happy state of mind took her to Roman, lying in bed together one of the mornings where Brian had gone to work and Roman had a day off.

The coffee machine began to boil and she walked to it and pressed the button before the alarm went off to say the coffee was ready, she smiled to herself thinking about Roman and Brian arguing in the shop over which coffee machine to buy, it was hilarious, she had picked up one off the shelf randomly and told them that was the one they were going to buy and coincidently they had both seen that one in a magazine or paper and wanted that one but hadn't been able to find it anywhere.

She took her coffee to the table and hugged the mug and smelled the sweet aroma. She closed her eyes and tried again to suppress the image of Damien and it worked this time, "you ok?" she jumped slightly, anymore and the coffee would have shot from the mug and scolded her hugging hands. "Sorry" Brian said sleepily rubbing his eyes entering the kitchen further. "Didn't mean to scare you"

"don't worry about it, I'm jumpy" he stood leaning against the kitchen sink his eyes still half closed with his arms crossed over his bare chest. He gave her a look that told her to tell him more "I had a dream that Damien was in my room coming to finish what he started"

"I thought therapy was supposed to stop all that" he said walking across the kitchen and sitting on the chair nearest to her

"It doesn't completely stop it, it helps you deal with it, helps you push things out of your mind" Rayne explained to her clearly concerned brother.

"Did it help you do that?"

"Yeah, you didn't waste your money don't worry"

"That's all right then" he smirked, Rayne laughed. They talked a while longer about what she did in New York and then Brian changed the subject "so you gonna go mental on Rome?"

Rayne's laughing smile faded "no, he was drunk and I just don't have the energy to deal with him"

"He's just upset"

"I know and I ain't gonna be angry with him for that" she grew quiet and Brian watched as she played with her fingers nervously

"You ok?"

"How the hell did I screw up so bad in so little time? It took me a like a month and half to totally fuck up the only family we got left, me and Rome probably wont ever be the same again and its all my fault"

"So your saying if you had the chance to do it all again and you knew it would end up like this you wouldn't?"

She thought about it for a second and then replied "yeah I guess I'd do it all over again just to be with him"

"There you go then and no one thinks you screwed up, the only thing that got screwed up is the fact that you two aren't together"

"You've really changed your tune"

"Yeah well like I said before you left you two should be together" Rayne sighed and began to cry Brian quickly got up from his seat and hugged his sister, she rested her chin on his shoulder and cried a while "hey, hey, don't cry things will get better soon I promise"

she pulled out of the hug and looked at him with her tear stained face and reddened eyes "it just hurts so much" she sobbed "it physically hurts and its not like I can take a pill to take away the pain, I just want it to stop!" he hugged her again not knowing what to say or do to make her feel better but after a few minutes of him hugging her once again her cries subsided.

Rayne and Brian decided as they were up so early that they would wake Roman and all go out to breakfast just the three of them like they use to do so at 9 AM Rayne and Brian stood outside Roman's bedroom door playing rock, paper, scissors to decided who would be the one to wake him. It was best of three, and Rayne had lost twice "it's probably better that I go in cause he sleeps naked, and I've seen it all before"

"Thanks I really needed to hear that"

Rayne chuckled "anytime bro" she said as she opened Roman's bedroom door.

Upon entering Rayne saw the top half of Roman hanging out of the bed, she walked over and knelt beside him her knees clicking loudly in the silenced room as she went down. She used his shoulders to push him back on the bed, Roman cooperated and put his body back on the bed and with his face squished against the pillow and his eyes still closed he asked "what's up?"

"Me, you and Brian are going out for breakfast" Rayne told him rather than asked

"What time is it?"

"10:30" she lied knowing Roman had a rule, on any day off he got he would never get out of bed before 10 AM.

He sighed and opened his eyes "give me 15"

"Me and Brian have gotta get ready anyway" she said pulling the collar of the t-shirt she was in to show him she was still in her pyjamas. Roman yawned and then threw the duvet off and sat up in bed. He yawned again and stretched, Rayne avoided looking at him, she didn't need to see what she couldn't have. Rayne stood up straight and walked out of the room to get ready.

* * *

Roman and Brian walked towards Marcus's Munch leaving Rayne behind as they were walking faster than her, they reached the two double doors before her and both held the doors open for her to walk in, "after you" Roman said ushering her through the door. She nodded her head and said thank you to both of them before walking to the counter.

The tall and slim brunette waitress, Sarah, was busy pouring coffee to look up and simply said "take a seat and I'll be over in a minute"

"Well make sure you bring a hug with you" Rayne said, Sarah looked up and a broad smile spread across her face.

"I'll be sure to bring three" Sarah said looking behind Rayne and seeing Brian and Roman stood waiting. Rayne chuckled and walked to a booth by the window, they always sat there, it was like an unwritten law.

Sarah was Marcus's (Rayne's and Brian's Dad's former partner) wife, she had never found it easy to be a cops wife so she threw herself in to something and 11 years previous that had been to open her own diner, and born was Marcus's Munch, as Marcus and Sarah had never had children she had let Brian, Rayne and Roman decide what to call it. They had fought over it for a few weeks and finally Marcus had told them to write all of their ideas down and then Sarah would chose one from a hat, Marcus's Munch was the first to be picked and it had been Rayne's idea, she had been so proud at the time and now with everything going on it seemed like something so insignificant.

Sarah walked over carrying a Pepsi and two coffees knowing their orders off by heart, every Saturday and Sunday morning for 8 years the O'Connor family had piled in to the diner for breakfast together, until Rayne went to New York, Brian went to play cop and Roman went to jail. After their parents death neither one could face going there anymore, it was too hard.

But this morning, Rayne decided it was time things changed and they got back to normal, as normal as they could possibly be.

After setting down the drinks Brian, Roman and Rayne took it in turns to stand and hug Sarah, whom they hadn't seen since their parent's funeral.

"So what's changed?" Sarah asked sitting beside Roman. All three of them began to laugh, where would they begin?

"You got a diner to run, you don't have time to hear it" Roman explained

"Ok I can take a hint" Sarah said standing up again "the usual?" she asked, they all nodded. Sarah disappeared in to the kitchen to give their order and continue with her daily duties.

"We need to buy suits still" Roman said looking at Brian

"Yeah I know we're running out of time" Brian agreed

Rayne listened as they continued to talk about their suit issue, they both decided this weekend would be the best weekend as the next two weekends they would be working, after neither of them revealed the reason as to why they would need suits Rayne asked "Why do you need suits?"

"For the trial" Roman reminded her

"I don't want either of you there" Rayne announced for the first time

"What? Why?" Brian asked "we're family, we wanna support you through this"

"I know and you can, without being at the trial…I don't want you there, you don't need to hear what happened for the second time I don't want either of you there" she repeated

"Rayne whether you like it or not me and your brother are gonna be there, we're not gonna let you go through this alone"

"I won't be alone, Marcus will be there"

"Rayne what are you not telling us here?" Brian knew when his sister was lying or holding something back, he didn't need cop sense, he knew his sister well enough to know when there was something she wasn't telling them.

"Nothing Bri, you know everything"

"Remember what we said?" Brian began "no more lies" he referred to their conversation in the kitchen that same morning.

"I'm not lying"

"Ok breakfast is served" Sarah said placing the plates on the table, they all thanked her and no one said anymore.

Brian and Roman sat playing Playstation in the living room, both on their designated bean bags with chips and drinks on the floor beside them, they were settled for a long day of computer games, but after Brian beat Roman at Tekken for the 11th time their gaming afternoon was interrupted by Suki and Tej barging in "switch on the news" Suki demanded

"We're playing" Roman moaned

"Rome shut up and do what she said" Tej commanded sitting on the couch, neither Brian nor Roman liked to look that both Suki and Tej had, that look of fear, and worse things to come.

Brian did as he was instructed and switched the channel on the TV to the news channel, they listened to the News anchor as she described the scene that happened late last night and then the picture changed to a on site reporter, the pictures of two paramedics pushing a stretcher with a clearly full body bag flashed on the screen and the house behind them was instantly recognisable but somehow it all seemed surreal.

They all heard the name of the deceased and their unasked questions had been answered. "Shit" Brian gasped, the door knocked and Roman quickly took the opportunity to escape, "we gotta tell Rayne before she finds out some other way" Brian realised walking straight to the cordless phone that lay on the coffee table beside the couch. Roman returned form the door with their visitor, Marcus. Brian put the phone to his ear and nodded at Marcus.

"She's out looking for a job" Roman told Marcus "hopefully she's got her music on and hasn't heard yet"

"We can only hope" Marcus agreed


	13. The Truth

**A/N**: it's a day after forever since I updated but I've had complete block for a while but hopefully its over now and I can continue to write this. Had some ideas but any ideas, suggestions are much appreciated.

If you read please review bad or good!

* * *

**Chapter 13 – The Truth**

Rayne drove home, breaking a few speed limits. Brian sounded worried, urgently worried, she knew something was seriously wrong and what made her suspicions worse was the fact he wouldn't even tell her a smidgen about what was wrong and why she needed to come home straight away.

Rayne screeched in to the driveway missing Suki's Honda by millimetres, she hadn't noticed Marcus's off duty car parked across the street and she didn't stop to look around she slammed her car door and ran in to the house, she found everyone in the kitchen looking glum, Tej, Suki, Brian and Marcus were sat at the table, Roman was stood pacing the kitchen chewing his right index finger, something he did when he was worried.

Rayne looked at everyone as all eyes shot to look at her when she entered the room, "what's going on?" she wondered

Marcus stood from his chair and walked slowly across the kitchen to her "I got a call around 1 am this morning, someone had been found dead and they had left something for some one I know. When I got there I realised who it was" Marcus began reaching in to the inside pocket of his jacket "Rayne, it was Damien, he hung himself, and he left this" he handed her a small white envelop that had Rayne O'Connor wrote on it in blue pen, she took it cautiously almost as if it contained explosives. She turned it over and saw it had been opened, she realised the police must have opened it to make sure it wasn't explosives or something.

Rayne's words came out chocked and shaky "how long had he been dead?"

"a couple days, the neighbours hadn't seen him for a few days and then a neighbour reported a bad smell to the government, they sent someone out to check it and found him" Rayne investigated the envelope turning it over in her hands a few hundred times, "I haven't read it" Marcus assured her "not sure I would have given it to you if I had"

"Maybe you shouldn't have" Roman said now stationary staring at Rayne and the envelope. No one retaliated to Roman comment everyone just stared at Rayne waiting for her to do something, cry, jump for joy, open the envelope.

Marcus watched her and then she looked up at him with tears in her eyes "it's time" he told her then hugged her,

"It's time for what?" Roman asked

"I'll leave you alone" he announced walking to the front door with Rayne following, she wanted nothing more than to run out of the door in to her car and just drive, fast and away from here, she had to face this she had to tell her family what really happened. She walked slowly in to the kitchen and stopped a few feet away from the door, she felt safer with an easy escape route, somewhere no one could block so if she needed to bail she could.

"What is it time for?" Brian asked having got up form his seat at the table,

"Sit back down" she told him "and you too please Rome"

"What's going on?" Suki asked

Rayne turned her attention to Suki, Tej and Brian who were sat at the table "I need to tell you guys something and your not gonna like it" Rayne looked at Roman and he didn't show signs of moving "please Rome"

"I'm good here thanks"

Rayne sighed and began to play with her hands fearfully, she began to cry and when Roman stepped forward to hug her she took a step back "Don't please" she said before taking a deep breathe "if you hug me I'll break down and I can't afford to do that" Roman stopped in his tracks and Rayne looked from him to Brian, he looked anxious, to Tej, he looked scared and to Suki who was crying already knowing her friend was hurting and had been hurting quietly for sometime now. "I er…" she paused to hold back tears "I don't know if you'll be mad at me or whatever and if you are I'll understand but before you shout at me or do whatever you gotta do you just gotta let me finish" she looked at everyone again who nodded "when Damien attacked me…he knocked me out for at least 20 minutes…"

"I don't wanna hear this" Roman interrupted knowing what was coming next he walked towards the kitchen door and past Rayne

Rayne grabbed his arms and he stopped and looked at her "please Rome, I need you here, I know it must be hard but please"

"let me hold you then" he pleaded, Rayne ran her hand down his arm to his wrist and turned her back to him then pulled his arms around her waist, he rested his head on her shoulder and was so glad to have her in his arms

Rayne took a deep breathe and continued "Damien raped me" in that moment a whole world of pain and anguish seemed to wash away from her "I didn't know until after 3 days of being in the hospital, it's something like selective memory your mind blocks out the bad stuff, and that's what I did, I didn't want any of you to know, I saw how knowing I was attacked affected all of you I didn't think you needed to know the rest, but the therapist told me I had to, if I ever wanted to move past it get on with my life I had to say it aloud and tell my family and so I'm telling you all now"

No one spoke, no one knew what to say, Roman seemed to hold her tighter and closer, but no one spoke. "You gonna read the letter?" Roman asked from behind her

Rayne grumbled slightly "I don't know…I'm curious to know what it says but at the same time I don't wanna know what he has to say"

"It could be an apology" Suki suggested

"And if it is I don't wanna feel sorry for him and I won't forgive him"

"It could be a way to get at you one last time" Brian pondered.

"Maybe it's his reasons why" Tej aired his thoughts

"Whatever it is it's up to you whether you read it or not" Roman assured her.

Rayne smiled slightly and walked out of Roman's arms, she pulled her car keys out of the front pocket of her jeans "where you going?" Brian asked

"I need a job and I ain't gonna find one standing around here" she announced

"You don't need to do that now" Roman told her

"I want to" she said looking at him, "I'll see you guys later" she added walking around Roman and out of the house.

* * *

Rayne had lied when she said she was going to look for a job and they all probably knew she was, she just wanted to be alone.

Rayne sat in the sand holding the letter in her hand staring at her name written across the front. She didn't know what to do, she was curious as to what it said but at the same time she didn't want to know

The beach was busy, people in swimwear walking by eating ice creams, holding their partners hands, people lying on towels soaking up the sun, Rayne wasn't exactly dressed for the beach in low rider jeans and a yellow tank top but she didn't care, she wasn't there to get a tan she was there to think.

Maybe Suki was right maybe it was an apology for what he did? But then maybe Brian was right maybe it was a way to get at her one last time. The only way she would know was reading it, but she wasn't sure she could. She felt sick just thinking about it.

Rayne watched the wave's crash down, the people playing volleyball, the couples kissing, the kids playing in the sand, she had gone to the beach to think but she was avoiding thinking about any of it.

She lay back in the sand and looked up at the blue sky, not a cloud in the sky, it was beautiful, they way it should be, it was the only thing in the world that was how it should be. Her view was obstructed by Roman standing over her. "Hey" he said staring down at her.

"Hi" she replied softly, he sat beside her and looked out of the ocean, she continued to stare at the sky. "You ok?" she asked knowing what she had told him must have hurt to hear.

"I've had better days" he answered honestly, they sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity but then Roman spoke up "I need to ask you something"

She sat up "sounds serious"

"It is…" he said looking at her staring in to her eyes "Rayne I need to know… I'm not sure I wanna know but I need to know…did you only sleep with me cause of Damien. Like you wanted something real"

Rayne was caught off guard she didn't expect him to ask that and was quite shocked the thought even crossed his mind "no Rome…I slept with you cause I wanted to…" she put a reassuring hand on his shoulder "…cause I was in love with you" she assured him.

"Was?" she looked at him confused "you said WAS in love with me? As in past tense"

Rayne sighed "sorry my heads messed up" she ran her hands through her hair and kept her fingers entwined in her blonde locks and rested her elbows on her knees.

"So you are still in love with me?" Roman inquired.

Rayne looked at him to make sure he was being serious, if he was actually asking that question now of all times "do we have to do this now?" she asked

He shook his head, no, she was right now wasn't the time "I'm sorry about last night at the party, for what I said" last night seemed so long ago, like months had passed by, "I was jealous seeing you with Tyler"

"If you can't have me no one else can right?"

"I wish it was like that…I still really…"

"Don't" Rayne interrupted "don't say it, this is hard enough already without hearing you say the three words"

Roman respected her wishes and didn't say he loved her "I guess I'm gonna find it hard to see you dating other people…"

"it aint exactly gonna be a walk in the park for me either! Maybe I should move out?"

"What?" Roman almost shouted "why?"

"It's to hard to be around you Rome, all I wanna do is kiss you, hold you, I can't bare it, and with Melissa coming around and stuff it's just to much"

"I don't want to run you out of your home, I never wanted this"

"I know and your not running me out of my home, it's just got to many memories of me and you, it seems like every where I look, every sound, every taste, reminds me of you I just need to get away"

"Where are you gonna go?"

"Suki's for a while? Get my own place?"

Roman nodded not in a agreeing way in a he understood her reasons "you told Brian?"

"I mentioned it to him this morning, he wasn't happy but he understood"

"I'm starting to think you were right" Roman sighed

"About what?"

"Us being a bad idea, when we first started sneaking around you said this was crazy, that it could never work, I guess you were right"

"And you just wouldn't listen!" she laughed remembering him cornering her in her room to make her tell him how she felt and the look on his face when she kissed him and left. They were both silent for a few minutes then at the same time they both asked "do you regret it?" they both laughed

"You want the truth or what you wanna hear?" Roman asked Rayne,

She thought about it for a second "what I wanna hear" she concluded

"Yeah I regret it, it never should have happened and if I could turn back the clock I wouldn't have kissed you in the kitchen that day"

Rayne laughed "liar" Roman laughed to then looked out at the ocean again "so you're admitting that you kissed me?"

"You kissed me" Roman protested

"You just said YOU wouldn't have kissed ME!" the banter continued for a while longer them both arguing the fact that the other kissed the other first, it was all just a bit of fun to take their minds off the reality of what was going on. Then Roman changed the subject and persuaded Rayne not to move out, she didn't need to move out, they needed to go back to the way things were and moving out wouldn't help that.


	14. Taylor

**Chapter 14 - Taylor**

3 months later…

Rayne lay on the couch watching TV flicking from one music channel to the next trying to find something other than love songs, it was 7 PM on a Friday night, shouldn't all the people that want to be listening to love songs be out on dates, or with their partners, the only people sat in on a Friday night were old people, kids and Rayne.

She had been out with Tyler but wasn't in the right frame of mind for it so had come home early telling him she didn't feel to well, it wasn't the real reason though that day at work she had found out something she shouldn't have and wasn't sure how to deal with her current situation.

She liked her new job working in the local doctors as the receptionist, it was easy, fun and the other staff were lovely, mainly older ladies, she was the youngest but she liked it, it was a nice contrast from her normally fast paced, young life.

Roman and herself had been getting along nicely lately, the whole Melissa carrying his child shock had passed and they were slowly going back to the way things were before they began dating, even if it was a little bit of acting from both parts, it worked and made living together a little easier.

But today had given her the ammo and a decision to make that could ruin all the hard work they had both put in to getting back to normal over the past 3 months.

Rayne had been talking to one of the doctors at the surgery earlier on that day, Doctor Shaw, Roman had asked her to get some information about being pregnant so he could help Melissa to the best of his ability. all Rayne had asked was for some leaflets or helpful websites or books that may be useful and Doctor Shaw had jumped to the conclusion that Rayne was pregnant, he was a sweet man in his late 50's, his hair had been receding for years though and was scarce on top, he had that fatherly way about him and Rayne liked that.

She quickly cut him short and explained about her best friend and somewhat brother(Roman) and his somewhat girlfriend being pregnant, he looked confused at first but then thought about it and realized what she meant. When he asked the name of the young lady (he was always looking for potential patients) and Rayne told him his frown returned. Rayne asked why and the doctor explained that Melissa had been a patient of his since she was 4 years old and had been to see him last month for some more birth control pills. He continued to explain that if she were pregnant she wouldn't be taking the birth control pills and that she took a pregnancy test 4 months previously as she had a scare but it came back negative.

The more information that Doctor Shaw gave Rayne about Melissa the less she wanted to know, Doctor Shaw knew he was breaking the law by telling Rayne what he was telling her but Rayne assured him that if anything ever happened she would take the fall and say she had read Melissa's file. He smiled appreciably and said "I don't like to be the one to tell you this but I think Mrs. Harris is lying about her pregnancy" before walking away.

The words 'lying about her pregnancy' kept repeating in her head. Rayne took a big gulp of the vodka and coke she had poured herself when she had got home from being with Tyler and continued to think. Some things did make more sense now. Melissa was still smoking and drinking, Rayne had seen her numerous times drunk when she knew Roman wasn't going to be around but she hadn't told Roman she didn't need a show down with Melissa about her butting in to her business and she didn't need Roman stressed out cause Melissa was being a bitch so she kept her mouth shut.

She knew Melissa was a nasty piece of work but not for one second did she think she would intentionally hurt her unborn child, if she were truly pregnant.

So what if Melissa wasn't pregnant? Had been lying to Roman? Had been keeping Rayne and Roman apart just because she could? How long did she plan on not telling Roman? She was only supposedly 4 months pregnant therefore she had a few weeks before she would begin to show. There were so many questions but the most important one the one that would make or break her, does she tell Roman? And how would she do it?

The way things had been going lately, Melissa would convince Roman that she was being the jealous ex and making things up the make them fight, Roman would most certainly call an end to their 'friendship' and Rayne wouldn't be able to handle that.

The many thoughts, ideas, reasons, and questions filled her head and soon it was all too much to take in and she began to slowly drift to sleep.

* * *

Rayne woke to the sound of someone calling her name in a sing-song voice, she swore she was dreaming so turned over in her big warm bed and told herself to sleep "Rayne O'Connor wake your skinny ass up!" the voice told her, Rayne's eyes shot open and she jumped up in her bed to see Taylor O'Connor sat at the end of her bed.

"Taylor shit, when'd you get home?" Rayne asked throwing herself at her older half sister and hugging her tightly. She regretted it as the sick feeling settled in.

"Last night, showed up at races and you weren't there. Rome wouldn't let me wake you when we got home!" Rayne looked around and realized she was in her own room but couldn't remember how she got there, "Rome carried you up, you were out of it on the couch. Brian is going to give you an earful he weren't to impressed to find you snoring with a half full bottle of vodka next to you"

"Great!" Rayne sighed and then held her head as the sound of her heartbeat rang in her ears.

Taylor laughed at her younger sister and then jumped up off the bed excitedly "come on we're going to Marcus' Munch" Taylor told her "I'm starving and so are the boys"

"What time is it?" Rayne sighed putting a hand to her head and lying back down in her bed

"11:30 come on you've already wasted half a day, get your ass up!"

After waiting on Rayne to get ready for another 45 minutes, Brian, Taylor, Roman, Mia and Rayne all went to Marcus' Munch for breakfast, they sat in their usual booth and ordered after Sarah had greeted Taylor and did a little catching up. Rayne managed to avoid the inquisition from Brian as to why she had been drinking the night before but she knew she wouldn't be able to avoid it for long.

"So you gonna tell us why your back this time?" Brian asked Taylor "need money, running away from a guy, ran out of friends"

"Brian" Rayne said in a warning tone from her seat besides Roman.

"Come on we all know she only ever comes back when she needs something so why play nice? Why not just get to the point?" Brian asked

"Actually I came home to see my sister, thought she might need me"

"HALF sister" Brian corrected

"Ah shit here we go" Rayne said throwing her hands up in frustration. "Can you two not get along for even like 2 minutes? Just pretend for one second that we ain't some kind of fucked up dysfunctional family?"

"It is fucked up and we ain't a family" Brian said through gritted teeth.

"Oh is this the part where you blame me for your mom and dad splitting up? This the part where my mom gets blamed for making OUR dad cheat?" Taylor asked, their father had met Taylor's mother, Amy a few years after Brian was born, he cheated and Taylor was produced, their father and Brian's mother split up for 4 years then got back together and Rayne was born.

"He isn't your dad" Brian told her

"Believe me if I had to choice he wouldn't be" Taylor told Brian.

"Lucky he's dead than ain't it?" Rayne said standing up and walking out of the diner.

"You two need to work your shit out" Roman told them "and either of you upset Rayne I'll kill the both of you"

Brian sighed and stood up and walked out of the diner after Rayne, Taylor followed. Rayne was walking around angrily kicking the gravel up in the car park. "You two come out for a fist fight now?" Rayne asked them "want me to be the referee?"

"Rayne we're sorry" Taylor began

"Yeah we are" Brian agreed

"no your not! That's the point, neither of us has much family left and then you two have to constantly fight! I don't get it!" Rayne was sick of seeing her family fight, Taylor and Brian had never seen eye to eye and till now Rayne ignored them but she was tired of it and wasn't prepared to stand for it anymore "Brian, dad cheated, get the fuck over it, mom did she took him back! Taylor our dad was an ass we all know that, he didn't treat your mom right but he was still there for you! He gave you everything you needed, except a real father but he tried! No one's fucking perfect and if anyone should know that it's you two fuck ups"

"YOUR NOT SO PERFECT EITHER!" Brian erupted in to a loud attack of abuse towards his younger sister, he shot abuse at her and then Taylor joined in throwing insults at Brian and telling him to leave Rayne alone, Rayne joined the two of them screaming at both of them.

* * *

"So Taylor is their step sister? Their dad cheated?" Mia had asked Roman what the story behind Taylor was, Brian had never mentioned a step sister to her and Roman explained that Brian pretended she didn't exist.

Sarah approached the table but was looking out the window at the three siblings arguing, "Roman please go and sort them three out before Brian get's himself killed" Roman sighed and slid out of the booth, Mia went to follow but Sarah stopped her with a hand on her shoulder "sweetie you don't want to get in between the four of them believe me you end up with scars!" Sarah advised.

* * *

Roman stood on the sidelines and listened to the siblings fight, it was quite comical actually, he wouldn't have been surprised if one of them bought up Brian stealing one of their dolls or something! He contemplated stepping in and stopping the bitching but he figured they all needed to get it out of their systems so he left them to fight.

"IF YOU HAD LOOKED OUT FOR HER BETTER SHE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ATTACKED!" Taylor threw at Brian

"MAYBE IF YOU HADN'T HAVE CORRUPTED HER, TURNED HER IN TO SOME KIND OF TART SHE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN RAPED!" Brian retaliated

This was the point where Roman would step in "HEY" he yelled walking in the middle of the three siblings and towards Brian pushing him in order to start a fight. "DON'T YOU DARE TO TALK TO HER LIKE THAT!"

Rayne stepped in between them and pushed Roman away from Brian "back off Rome" she told him, she wanted to hit Brian to and she appreciated the fact that Roman was probably affected more by the news of her being raped than anyone, he had taken the news badly. But she didn't want him to have a fight with Brian. Rayne waited for Roman to back off then she turned to Brian and asked "You saying it was my fault?" tears filled her eyes "you saying Damien attacked me cause of the way I am, cause I'm confident? That I asked for it?"

Rayne stared at Brian not believing what he had just implied "no, shit, Rayne…I'm sorry I didn't…"

Rayne interrupted him "you're saying it was my fault I was attacked? Your saying I asked for it? The fact that I'm confident and forward was the reason Damien attacked me?"

"No I didn't mean that, Rayne, I'm sorry…"

Rayne held up her hand to him to tell him to stop talking and walked away holding her head down. Roman gave Brian a warning look and then jogged after Rayne "hey baby hold up" Roman called, she reached her car without turning around but just leant on the door, Roman stood in front of her, he placed his hand on her shoulder but she shrugged him off, "don't do this again" he sighed "don't start shutting me out again, we're just starting to get back to normal"

"I just wanna be alone for a while"

"It's not just about Brian, you have been off with me since you got home from work last night" Roman realized

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to be I had just had a bad day that's all" she lied. They stood in silence for a few minutes.

Brian and Taylor stood in the distance watching them both "something going on with them two?" Taylor asked watching Roman's body language, he clearly wanted to hold her in his arms, he looked worried and didn't like to see he hurting or in pain, he wanted to keep her safe, protect her, anyone who could see him would know it he was like an open book.

"There was, but it all got screwed up" Brian explained

"He cheat?" Taylor asked knowing Roman's reputation was more than colorful.

"no he was really in love with her, some other shit happened" Taylor asked some more questions and when Brian realized she wasn't going to stop and that Rayne was showing no signs of going back in to the diner he told Taylor to talk to Rayne and then returned to Mia in the diner.

"He didn't mean it" Roman told Rayne. Rayne stood staring in to space thoughts running through her mind.

"I had been trying for months to figure it out, why he did it? Why me? Why at that moment? Maybe Brian's right maybe me being confident, bubbly, friendly just being me made him think I wanted him" tears ran slowly down her cheeks and fell to the gravel floor making small wet circles "maybe I gave him the impression that I wanted him"

"Don't you dare think that for a second, it wasn't anything you did, it's cause he was sick and twisted and fucked up in the head" Roman assured her

Rayne's phone sang out the tune of Notorious B.I.G's – Nasty girl, she plunged her hand in to the front pocket of her jeans and pulled out the ringing cell phone "hey Tej" she answered "yeah I did it…it's all set up…Friday at 8…yeah I will be round in about 20 minutes…later" Rayne ended the call and returned the phone to her pocket

"You not coming back in for breakfast?" Roman asked her as Taylor approached from behind

"No I've lost my appetite, I gotta go see Tej, I'll be home later. You gonna be ok getting a ride with Rome?" she asked Taylor

"Sure" Rayne got in to her car and drove away.

* * *

Roman took a few pairs of folded jeans from his chest of draws and placed them neatly in the nearly full suitcase that lay on his bed. His mind was on Rayne, but what else was new? Brian's outburst earlier had probably made her question what had happened with Damien; Roman knew her well and knew that she would be blaming herself for that asshole rapping her. Maybe Vegas would cheer her up.

A small knock on his door brought him out from his thoughts "what's up?" he called, his door opened and Rayne entered carrying a pile or ironed shirts.

"All done" she smiled placing them next to his suitcase.

"Thanks"

"You got everything you need?" Rayne asked sitting on his bed

"Yeah think so"

"Don't think Rome, be sure, we're leaving first thing tomorrow we won't have time to pick things up"

"Rayne chill we're only going for 2 nights, I forget anything we can buy it there"

Rayne chuckled, she always had to be prepared and panicked if she wasn't "thanks for asking Taylor to, it slipped my mind"

"Can't imagine why" Rome threw a ironed shirt in to his suitcase angrily

"Don't be mad at him Rome, he didn't mean it"

"But he said it"

"You know what he gets like when Taylor's around, he turns in to the hulk and takes it out on everyone else"

Roman shook his head "he was still out of order"

"Yeah he was but I don't wanna think about it" Rayne said looking down at her hands "I just wanna have a good weekend, it Suki's birthday and we all deserve some fun!"

"Well the fun can start right now, you can help me pack!"

Rayne laughed, getting up from the bed "dream on, your fault you didn't start packing sooner"

Roman grabbed her around the waist before she could leave the room; he picked her up from the ground and placed her on the floor again in the front of his suitcase. He kept his grip around her stomach and whispered in to her ear "please I really need help…packing and stuff"

"And stuff?" she questioned, she closed her eyes and held her breath at the feel of her lips lightly brushing her ear

"Yeah" he sighed still holding her close "stuff" he began to kiss her neck softly, she turned around in his arms and kissed him passionately. Things got heated and Roman tugged at the bottom of her tank top wanting to take it off.

She pulled out of the kiss "I gotta go see Suki" she stepped out of his reach and walked around him to the door.

"Shit" Roman said kicking his bedroom door closed.

* * *

**A/N: **hope you all liked. I've sort of got some direction as to where I'm taking this story so hopefully things will pick up soon!

Please review!


	15. What Happens In Vegas

**CHAPTER 15 – What Happens In Vegas Doesn't Stay In Vegas!**

Rayne drove to Suki's she needed to tell someone about the information she had discovered about Melissa, she would have told Brian but Brian would want to run his mouth to Roman and Rayne wasn't sure that was the best idea at the moment. It wasn't that she didn't want to tell him, she did, she really, really did, she just had to do it the right way, preferably with proof when she told him, at the moment all she had was the doctor's word. She could discuss it with Suki and they could decide the best plan of action together.

Rayne knocked on Suki's door and waited, a few minutes passed and Suki appeared at the door "hey" Rayne said entering the house

"Hmmm" Suki replied walking in to the kitchen

"You ok?" Rayne asked following her

"Fine, just real busy" Suki told her distantly, Rayne knew Suki was being off with her but had no idea why!

"If you want me to go I'll go, it's not that important" Rayne admitted

"I'm really busy" Suki repeated

"I can take a hint" Rayne said walking towards the front door, she wasn't in the mood for Suki's attitude, whatever her problem was it could wait.

* * *

Rayne threw the basketball in to the hoop that Brian had put on the side of the house years ago and hadn't used in a very long time. she retrieved the ball as it bounced away from her and dribbled it back to a few feet away from the hoop and just bounced it on the spot. It was 10.15 pm and it was still quite warm, warm nights meant light nights, so the security light that kept blinking on every time Rayne walked in front of the censor was unnecessary. She bounced the ball and looked up as she heard footsteps. Roman walked towards her with his hands in his pockets and then leant against the side of the house. "Hey"

"Hi" Rayne told him shooting and scoring. He half smiled at her as he picked up the ball as it rolled to his feet before throwing it back to her.

"You wanna play a little one on one?"

"Sure". They played the game first of all saying it was the first to ten and when Rayne scored 10 to his 7 he changed it to first one to 20 and when Rayne was on 20 to his 13 he decided to give up and just shoot some hoops.

"I'm sorry about earlier" Rayne told him "it shouldn't have happened"

"Shouldn't it?" Roman collected the ball as he walked towards her

"Make the shot and I'll answer you" she challenged as he reached her side. He bounced the ball a few times then aimed and got nothing but net. "No it shouldn't have your with Melissa" Rayne explained as she walked to get the ball.

"Is it because I'm with Melissa or you're with Watkins?" Roman inquired

"How'd you know about Watkins?" Rayne asked, Watkins was a guy Rayne had been seeing the past month, he was Roman's age went to school Roman and Brian, he and Roman had never got along and always had a problem with one another, Rayne never knew why.

"Make the shot and I'll tell you" he used her own challenge against her as he threw the ball to her. She scored. "Suki mentioned it to me"

"what? Why? She had no right!"

"So it's true?" Roman asked

She sighed "yeah we've been out a few times"

"Not sure I like this game anymore" he sighed walking away.

"Why is it that you can sleep with Melissa and be all lovey dovey together but I can't do shit with anyone?"

"I never said that" Roman replied raising his voice turning to look at her as he stopped walking away.

"so your not pissed at me right now?"

"YEAH I'M PISSED AT YOU" he said walking closer to her pointing his finger at her "I'M PISSED CAUSE YOU SEEM TO LIKE THROWING IT IN MY FACE THAT I SCREWED UP AND OF ALL PEOPLE TO DO IT WITH YOUR DOING IT WITH THE ONE PERSON ON THIS PLANET I HATE!"

"I DON'T THROW SHIT IN YOUR FACE ROME!" she said knocking his finger out of her face. "WHEN HAVE I EVER FLIRTED OR ANYTHING WITH ANYONE IN FRONT OF YOU? AND I'M NOT WITH HIM TO GET BACK AT YOU!" She was right she didn't show affection towards anyone in front of Roman she wasn't that immature. She had never once kissed, hugged or flirted with anyone in front of him.

"ALRIGHT SO I'M NOT PISSED AT YOU, I'M PISSED AT ME CAUSE I WANT YOU AND I CAN'T HAVE YOU!"

"Yeah well we all know who made that mistake" Rayne said lowering her voice.

"So you wanna do this now? You wanna have this fight now? Cause we've been pussy footing around this shit for 3 months now let's just say what we gotta say"

"Rome I'm not gonna fight with you not now not ever. Can't we just be friends the way we are now?"

"no cause we're not friends are we Rayne?" he sighed "as soon as we're alone for longer than 20 minutes we make up excuses so we don't have to be around each other cause we know what would happen like earlier"

"We're alone now"

"Yeah and I wanna kiss you, touch you" he said running his finger gently down her arm and then looking in to her eyes. She looked deep in to his eyes and waited for him to make his next move and sure enough his forceful, passionate kiss reached her lips.

She kissed him back with just as much passion and allowed him to push her back against the house. He pinned her hand up against the house and traced her neck with kisses. Reaching his hand up her tank top he felt her naked breasts. She let out a small groan as he caressed her breasts and she couldn't help herself anymore she had to have him, she had to feel his body on hers, feel him inside of her.

She tugged at his wife beater and he allowed her to pull it over his head leaving it in her hand she began leaving small kisses down the left side of his body making him groan and whisper "oh my god"

She reached the waist line of his jeans and began undoing the buttons kissing back up the left side of his body. Rayne reached his lips and kissed him again. Aching for more when she was stood up properly Roman began to tug at her drawstring on her combats. "Not out here" she whispered.

Roman picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried through the back of the house leading in to the kitchen. He didn't have any trouble carrying her up the stairs as fast as he could. He placed her on his bed and began with that drawstring again. She was sat up with her legs still wrapped around him kissing and biting his shoulder. She wasn't doing it hard as she couldn't leave her mark on him because Melissa would know.

He managed to undo the drawstring and he made her lie back on his bed so he could take off her trousers. "you sure you want this?" he asked putting his thumbs in to the waistband of her trousers then he pulled them off leaving her in only her small black thong and dark green tank top.

"I'm sure" she said sitting up again and pushing down his previously undone jeans and boxer shorts. He pulled down her thong and slowly entered her making her moan his name "oh Roman" as she lay back.

She moaned as he moved slowly in and out then got faster. "Oh fuck Roman" he leaned down over her and kissed her.

"I love you Rayne" he spoke softly.

"I love you too Rome" she said looking in to his eyes. He kissed her once again then stood up holding her hips to pull her on to him as he pushed forward. Rayne searched his body with her eyes the way his muscles contracted and the sweat beginning to form on his abs and then she noticed he had three fresh scratch marks down the right side of his body. "Stop, stop" she said pulling away from him across the bed.

"What's wrong?" he asked stood there, pants around his ankles, aroused as hell.

"we can't do this" she told him not looking at him as she climbed off his bed and put her thongs and combats back on.

"Why?" he asked "I thought you wanted this"

"I do but I want you and I can't have you, you're Melissa's and the babies now" she said pointing towards the scratch marks on his body. This was so unfair, she knew Melissa had been lying about the baby but now wasn't the time to tell him.

"I know I'm sorry I should never have…" He pulled up his boxer shorts and jeans and found his top lying by the bedroom door where Rayne had dropped it coming in to the house. He pulled it over his body "I meant what I said" he began watching her fix her hair back in to its tight and neat pony tail stood by the bed. "I love you"

"Yeah but that doesn't count does it" Rayne sighed before walking out of his bed room.

* * *

The weekend in Vegas was supposed to be Rayne's time to sit back, relax and enjoy herself put the past few months behind her, if she thought Vegas was going to be the start of something better, she was completely wrong.

Suki had practically told her she didn't want her there and spent most of her time talking to Melissa, Roman had avoided talking to her after the previous night, Brian had spoke two words to her all day obviously feeling guilty for what he had said the day before, Vince, Leon and Jesse had gone off in search of some female company, Dom and Letty had spent most of the morning arguing over something or another, had Taylor not have been there she wouldn't have anyone to talk to.

Taylor had decided they needed some relaxation time and sometime to talk so they had gone to the hotel spa and were sat in the Jacuzzi. "So…" Taylor began watching the tall dark haired muscle guy walk past Jacuzzi "…what's on your mind?"

"Where do I start?" Rayne sighed tears filling her eyes "everything is so fucked up Taylor; I don't know what's going on anymore"

"Hey, hey" Taylor said softly moving in the water to hug her "tell me what's going on? Like dad said a problem shared is a problem halved!"

Rayne half smiled, she took a deep breath "I found out that Melissa isn't pregnant, she took a test a few months back but it was negative, I guess she figured it was the only way to make Rome stick with her so she lied. I know I should tell him I just don't know how."

"Rayne he should know"

"I know, I know, I just know Melissa will make up some shit and make me look like the jealous ex girlfriend! Since he's been with her he believes anything she says, she's a convincing liar! And let's face it she has to have some kind of plan; she can't keep it up for 9 months!"

"You saying you don't think he'll believe you?"

"I'd rather have proof when I tell him"

"She's got scan pictures right?" Taylor inquired; Roman had filled her in earlier on the situation

"Yeah"

"Well she had to get them off a friend or something, all scan pictures have the date on them, he showed me one yesterday and it's in like a paper frame, I'm guessing she gave it to him like that? All you need to do is get the picture and show him the date!"

Rayne's eyes lighted up "that's not a bad idea! The only person she knows who's had a baby recently is her sister like 8 months ago! She's always talking about it; it must be her sister's scans!"

"So ask Rome to see the picture, take it out of the frame and show him the date" Rayne felt a little better that could work and if it didn't now Taylor knew they could make another plan together "what else is bothering you?"

Rayne explained about Suki being a total bitch towards her and not knowing why, about kinda sleeping with Roman the previous night and about her dating Watkins, Roman's sworn enemy, Taylor offered her as much comfort, solutions and suggestions as she could then they realized it was time for dinner, they had all be called to a special dinner for Suki's birthday and everyone was sworn not to be late!

* * *

Suki stood in the mirror looking at the dress Tej had bought her, it was a beautiful dress but it was bought out of guilt, she knew it and he knew it. She didn't see the point in getting all dressed up when she knew all she was going to do was cause a scene and then dump Tej, what was the point?

Although she knew it would be worth it in the end to see the look on Tej's face when she announced she had caught him out, oh yeah, revenge is a dish best served cold and if anyone knew how to be cold it was Suki. She had all the words chosen out carefully; the whole speech would be perfect, not only informative but also aggressive and angry! Even Vegas hadn't seen a show like the one Suki was about to put on.

Tej came out of the bathroom, clean shaven, his hair freshly done, smelling of that sweet smell Suki liked so much, she was beginning to loathe that smell! Tej slinked his arms around Suki's waist and kissed her neck "you look gorgeous"

"I know" she said trying not to cringe at his touch.

"I gotta go see Rayne, I'll meet you at the restaurant birthday girl" he kissed her again and then let her go smiling broadly as he left the hotel room.

"No surprise there then!" Suki spat through gritted teeth

* * *

Suki looked around the table at everyone chatting away to one another Dom, Letty, Leon, Vince, Jesse, Melissa, Roman, Rayne, Brian, Mia and Taylor, all happily talking amongst each other after they had stuffed their faces with a fancy meal in the restaurant Tej had hired out for the evening in the hotel they were staying in. again Suki knew it was down to guilt. Tej had gone to the bathroom and when he returned Suki was going to make her big announcement.

Tej sat down kissing her forehead as he did. Once he was seated Suki rose "guys, guys can I have your attention please" she began "I have an announcement to make…" she wait till all eyes were on her and then she continued "it's very rare that someone finds a group of people that they can truly call friends, people that would die for you, help you out no matter what, stick up for you whether you were right or wrong. It must feel great to have that. But I wouldn't know…." Suki walked around the table to stand in between Tej and Rayne and placed a hand on each of their shoulders "because my so called best friend and boyfriend…"

"Suki" Rayne interrupted "watch the next words that come out of your mouth" she warned knowing what Suki was thinking and going to say "cause once there out there you cant take them back"

"you know what Rayne, fuck you, poor old Rayne got raped everyone feel sorry for her! I know I'LL let you sleep with my boyfriend to make you feel better! i'd expect this off tej but not you of all people!"

Tej stood up "you think we've been having an affair?"

"I don't think I know!" Suki could see the hurt in his eyes and she was glad he was hurting the way she was. "don't play dumb Tej its been going on a few months now, late night phone calls, secret meetings, private conversations, we all know Rayne's good at sneaking around but you just don't got the brains for it now do you!"

Tej starred in to her eyes making sure he was hearing her right "you honestly believe we've been sleeping together? You really think we'd do that to you?"

"Hell fucking yeah, you and this little home wrecker" Suki said getting in his face and then looking at Rayne with a disgusted expression.

Tej took a step back put a hand in his pocket and pulled out a ring box slammed it on to the table and then walked around Suki and out of the otherwise deserted restaurant. Suki stood staring at the ring box only realizing then that her assumptions had been wrong.

Rayne stood up from her chair calmly "well this home wrecker might as well get it all out in the open right" Rayne looked around the table "Roman, Melissa isn't pregnant she's been lying to you" Roman looked at Rayne to Melissa who had the guiltiest look on her face.

"Is that true?" Roman asked, Melissa didn't answer she got up from her chair and ran out of the room. Roman didn't follow he was too concerned with Rayne to care.

Rayne turned to Suki and said "well I've wrecked enough home for one night I'm kinda beat, its hard work"

"Rayne I'm…" Suki began

Rayne interrupted not looking at her and picking up her purse from the table "I swear to god Suki if the next words out of your mouth are sorry it'll be the last thing you ever say, just stay the fuck away from me!"

"Rayne please" Suki pleaded as Rayne walked towards the exit. Suki slumped down in to her chair and watched as Rayne left.

"That's all kinds of fucked up Suk's" Roman told her

"Cause you're so good to her" Taylor snapped

"Taylor stay out of this" Brian warned

Taylor stood up "no I wont stay of this! That girl is nothing but good to all of you, she always puts you guys first and what does she get back? A friend who thinks she slept with her boyfriend, a brother of thinks the fact that she was raped was he own fault, a ex boyfriend who likes to fuck with her head and gets pissed at her for trying to move on and being with someone else! Fuck who needs enemies with friends like you"

"I don't think…" Suki began "I just…"

"Yeah and now you gone and royally fucked up!" Taylor stated the obvious" Tej and Rayne have been working their arses off for the past month and half to make today prefect for you! Just the way you would want it! Rayne had the chance to present some of her designs at a top fashion show last month but she turned it down for you!" Taylor began to get furious; if she stuck around any longer she was going to kill somebody.

* * *

A/N: Hi all

hope you enjoyed, imagine the drama that can follow... lol

Sorry its been a while since I posted but I have a server case of writers block but hopefully I'm getting some help with this now!!

Not sure if the rating of this needs to go up for this chapter either as I'm from the UK so your ratings are different to mine. Let me know if you think it should

Thanks for reading and I hope to update a bit quicker and get in to a flow with this.

Please review, thanks

SJ


	16. Looking After Number 1

**Chapter 16 - Looking AfterNumber 1**

Rayne stood in the elevator listening to the awful music they were playing, so much for a nice, relaxing, fun weekend! As soon as Suki started her little announcement Rayne knew what was coming, but it still hurt her to hear Suki say it. The hurt Rayne was feeling was nothing compared to what Tej must have been feeling. Rayne knocked on his room door and waited, she got no response "Tej, it's Rayne let me in" she heard the door lock release and then Tej stood staring at her looking like a kid who woke on Christmas morning with no presents.

Tej walked back towards the bed, Rayne watched him pack his clothes as she closed the door. "If you've come to defend her save it" Tej sat on the bed beside his suitcase

Rayne sat besides him "hell fucking no!" Rayne told him "because she did mean it, she honestly thought we were screwing around!"

Tej shook his head still not believing it, he laughed with no humour "I can't believe I actually thought she knew me, you marry someone and it's like you know them every little habit, every quirk, every thing about them, but obviously I was wrong, I don't know her at all and clearly she doesn't know me!"

"I don't know what to say Tej, I don't know how to make you feel better" Rayne admitted

Tej sighed and lay back on the bed staring at the ceiling "there ain't anything you can say Rayne, the last 5 years have been a complete fucking lie"

"Makes you feel any better Melissa's been lying to Rome about being pregnant?" Tej laughed at her "hey I'm trying here"

Tej sat up smiling, and then it faded "I think I just wanna be alone for a while"

Rayne stood up and fished in her bag she pulled out her card key to her room "well that I can help with, give me 20 minutes to pack and my room is all yours"

That sounded like a good idea to Tej it meant Suki couldn't come and try to talk to him. But then again "thanks but I think I'm just gonna bail, get back to Miami"

Rayne nodded understanding "I won't be far behind you," Rayne walked to the door opening it she turned to look at Tej again "I'm so sorry Tej, I really am"

"Don't sweat it baby girl, not your fault"

* * *

As soon as Taylor fled the room silence fell over them all as they let what had just been said sink in. Roman sat in a shocked silence wondering if what Rayne had said had any truth to it. He looked up as Suki excused her self and ran out of the restaurant. Rome took a moment to take a look around and noticed that some time during all the yelling and accusations, Melissa had too, left. The realization of what was going on then hit him and the anger took over. He stood up without a word and followed the theme of the night by storming out. 

He briefly saw Suki standing in the middle of the lobby and Tej leaving but didn't have time to worry that now. He had to find Melissa. Or Rayne. Whoever came first would do to answer his questions. He headed towards the elevators that would take him up to his room.

* * *

Roman walked slowly down the corridor to his and Melissa's room, had what Rayne said been true? Had he really been wasting the past 5 months of his life with Melissa instead of Rayne? Melissa had a lot of explaining to do! Roman tried to keep himself calm, not work himself up so he could listen to Melissa's explanation without exploding on her. 

He opened his door and found Melissa sat on the end of the bed crying on her cell phone. Seeing Rome enter she abruptly ended the call and looked at him. "I don't know where she got that from Roman. The little bitch is probably just jealous."

"Stop. Melissa I want you to be completely honest with me right now. Are you pregnant?" Rome's patients was running short. He was starting to doubt whether she was truthful or not.

"Huh, honestly, like I would lie about something like that. She just said that because she doesn't want us to be together. She wants you all for herself." She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Come on Rome, you don't believe her now do you."

He shook his head trying to make sense of all this. His mind wandered to the times he caught her drinking and smoking, doing things that would put a baby in danger if she were pregnant. He was suddenly realizing that this could be a lie. She wasn't even showing yet, not even a little bump, which would be kinda noticeable with the outfits she wore most of the times. He pushed her out of his arms, repulsed.

Roman slowly walked over to the chair that was beside the table on the right hand side of their room, he sat on the chair silently and looked over her, she sobbed trying to catch her breath "I never meant for you to find out this way Rome, I was going to tell you I swear"

"Fuck Melissa. How the hell could you lie about something like that. Damn it." He stood up quickly and hit the wall with his fist, making his hand start to bleed and the wall dent. "I want you gone. Now." he pointed to the door with his good hand, cutting her off as she tired to tell him something, and slamming the door behind her. He collapsed onto the bed and a hand over his head as he heard a knock on the door.

"Fuck! Melissa I don't care what you have to say, it's over." He opened the door to see Melissa standing there crying. He was pissed that she would try to talk to him after he made it clear he knew she wasn't pregnant. "What? Could you possibly have to say? You've been lying to me all this time?"

"Not all this time…" Roman looked confused and didn't know what to expect "at first when I told you I was it was a lie yeah, but a month or so after I found out I was, so I didn't tell you the truth…" she sobbed harder "I'm so sorry Rome"

"As soon as we get back to Miami you're taking a test in front of me, or this whole thing is over"

"Ok, ok" Melissa's eye got a glint of hope back, maybe she could hold on to Rome a little longer after all.

* * *

The team watched Taylor storm out followed by a shocked Rome and a confused Suki. The tension had not left air and there was a silence that no one knew what to say to break it. 

"Yo, O'Connor, pass the rolls." Everyone turned to look at him and were snapped out of their thoughts as Vince said this. He was too busy piling food on his plate to notice them staring at him as though he had grown a second head. "What? I gotta eat, I'm hungry."

Brian just looked at him and passed the basket with the rolls in it that was sitting in front of him. He glanced over at Dom who just shook his head before starting to laugh. For a minute they all just stared at him as he laughed, looking from him back to Vince who was shoving food in his mouth like it was the end of the world. Soon the seven of them were all laughing along with him with the exception of Mia.

"This isn't even funny!" Mia shouted before she gave up and joined in with the rest of them.

* * *

Suki walked out of the restaurant and saw Tej across the lobby, suitcase in hand. 

"Tej, wait!" he heard her voice but didn't bother stopping to look or slow down. "Please, I'm sorry. I jumped to conclusions and I was wrong. Just give me a chance to explain."

Tej put down his suitcase and looked at her expectantly. His eyes weren't gentle or caring like they normally were, but cold and looking into them made Suki shutter unconsciously. "Don't leave, please, let's just talk about this. I realize I made a mistake and…"

"Ya think. Listen Suki, it's over. Let's just leave it at that. You obviously don't trust me and were just waiting for a reason to break things off so ima save you the hassle."

Suki let the tears fall as he picked up his suitcase once more and started to walk away, pausing to tell her one more thing. "Oh and just so you know, Rayne and I, what we were doing, it was all for you."

The shame sunk in as she looked up to see him walking away "Yeah, I know." she didn't even bother to move as the crowd of people moved around her, blocking her view of his retreating back. She just stood there, long after he was gone, letting the tears fall, wondering what she was gonna do now.

* * *

Rayne opened her hotel door after hearing someone knock, it was probably Taylor coming to collect her car keys, Taylor wanted to stay, salvage something from what was supposed to be a good weekend in Vegas, Rayne had no doubt she could. 

Rayne opened the door and walked the dresser to collect the things she had unpacked only a few hours earlier, "tickets are on the night stand" Rayne was giving Taylor the original plane tickets they had.

"Your sure bailing is the right thing to do?" Taylor asked "if anyone should be leaving it should be Suki?"

"No I wanna get home, being here isn't as fun as it was supposed to be!" Rayne carried her things to her suitcase that lay open on the bed, she stopped in her footsteps seeing Roman standing at the door, his hands in his pockets, looking at her waiting for her to notice him.

"Can we talk?" he asked quietly

"So you can tell me she's fed you some more bull shit and you've gotta stand by her? Can't be like your father? Gotta do what's right even though you can hardly stand to be around the woman?" Rayne asked anger evident in her voice as she walked from draws to her suitcase and back again

"Something like that" he looked at his feet as he leant on the door frame

"You've told me, and I'm busy leaving so…"

"You're leaving?" Brian asked walking up to the door followed by Mia, they had come to see if she was ok.

"Yeah, that's what the suitcase is all about!" Rayne said carrying her suit case past them and walking down the corridor to the elevator.

"Why if anyone should leave its Suki" Brian told her

Rayne pushed the button to call the elevator and sighed, should she bite her tongue or not, the elevator behind her rang and the doors opened and Suki stepped out. Rayne was tired of biting her tongue "WHY BRIAN CAUSE SHE'S THE ONLY ONE BALLS ENOUGH TO SAY WHAT SHE REALLY THINKS?"

"What are you talking about?" Brian asked, he'd never seen her like this before, he face was blood red, anger wasn't the word.

"WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS PEOPLE TREATING ME LIKE SHIT! WALKING ALL OVER ME AND ME LETTING THEM!"

"Rayne…" Brian began

"NO BRIAN DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN, DON'T YOU DARE, I AM SO SICK OF PEOPLE TAKING ME FOR GRANTED, IF ITS NOT YOU ACCUSING ME OF BEING A TART OR TRYING TO CONTROL MY LIFE, ITS ROME THINKING I'M GONNA BE HIS BACK UP IF HIM AND MELISSA GO TO POT, OR SUKI THINKING I'M SLEEPING WITH HER BOYFRIEND…I'M SICK TO DEATH OF BEING EVERYONE'S FALL TO GIRL WHEN EVERYTHING GOES WRONG. FROM NOW ON I'M LOOKING AFTER NUMBER 1 AND I DON'T GIVE A FUCK WHO I HAVE TO TRAMPLE OVER OR HURT TO DO IT! I'VE BEEN NOTHING BUT GOOD TO ALL OF YOU AND THE ONLY PERSON WHO DOESN'T TREAT ME LIKE BRIAN'S LITTLE SISTER, OR THE EX GIRLFRIEND OR THE BEST FRIEND WHO'LL DROP EVERYTHING FOR YOU IS TEJ!"

"Rayne your not…" Roman began

"I can't talk Rome, Tej's waiting for me, we're driving home and we might stop to fuck on the way" Rayne said looking at Suki before turning and getting in to the lift.

* * *

Taylor stormed out of the room, her blood pumping. She felt bad for her sister and was pissed at Suki for hurting her. She walked outside the crowded hotel and casino lobby and breathed in the air as she sat down on a bench near the valet. She took out a pack of cigarettes and her lighter and lit one up, trying to figure out what she could do next. 

"No way in hell I'm goin back in there. Fuckin drama." She sat mumbling to herself for a few minutes, smoking her cigarette, until she heard someone sit down next to her.

"Mind if I get one of these?" Taylor looked over to see Tej sitting next to her, his suitcase on the ground in front of him. She held out the half empty pack. He took one out of the pack before taking a long drag of it and leaned back against the wall, sighing.

"You leaving?" Taylor nodded towards the suitcase at his feet.

"Yeah ima gonna head back tonight. No point in staying anymore." He took another drag and let out a low chuckle. "Fuckin spent months planning this thing trying to make it perfect and shit and she goes and pulls this."

They sat for another few minutes in silence, watching the people pass, listening to the bells every time someone would open the door to the casino.

"What about you? What brings you out here?" Tej put the barely there cigarette and looked over at Taylor. "You gonna leave too?"

"Nah, I'm just gonna stay out of the way till they clear all there shit up. Like hell I'm getting caught up in all there drama. I got enough of my own to worry about."

"Yeah I hear what you're sayin."

They both sat in content silence until an idea popped in Taylor's head. "What time you leavin?"

Tej could see the gleam in her eyes and knew she was up to something. It was the same gleam that Brian always got right before doing something stupid. He new this wasn't gonna end good but right now, he didn't care.

"Don't know. I was gonna go to the airport and find out when the next plane leaves."

Her smile grew as he said this and a plan started calculating in her head.

"You wanna have some fun before you go?"

"Hell yeah."

* * *

"Yes! Come on! Get daddy some money!" 

"Seven!"

"Yes!" Tej jumped up and hugged a half drunk Taylor, who giggled and grabbed Tej's money of the table.

"Come on; let's get me some more drinks!" Tej thought he should protest to this, Taylor was well on her way to getting smashed but he was too happy about being able to forget about Suki to stop.

"Okay baby girl, where we goin to next?" she giggled some more as he wrapped his arms around her and stared her out of the casino and into the night. They walked down the strip for a few minutes, taking in the sites, before coming to a neon sign flashing the words 'Club Spades'.

"Let's go in here!" Taylor ran into the open door before Tej could stop her.

"Taylor!"

The inside of the club was packed with people and the lights were dimmed. A dj was playing music at the front of the dance floor and a bar was off to the side and tables were scattered around the place. He looked around for Taylor but she was lost in the crowds of people. He walked towards the bar and sat down before ordering a drink from the bartender. Before he could take a sip, he heard a giggle from the end of the bar.

"come on honey, let me buy you a drink," he turned to see Taylor leaning against the bar, a drink already in hand, smiling flirtatiously at a guy standing next to her.

"Hey Tay, let's get going." Tej walked over to the pair and tried to pull Taylor away. She shrugged his hand off her arm and turned back to the frat boy that was hitting on her. He sighed, "Now Taylor."

The guy looked from Tej to Taylor and shook his head. "Nah man she doesn't wanna go with you. Why don't you just leave?"

"Nah bro, you got it wrong. She's my friend and she's drunk and I ain't letting her go nowhere with no punk ass white boy." Taylor was about to defend herself when she was cut off by another male voice.

"Problem here?" the three of them turned to look at Brian and Mia. Taylor sunk into her seat with a pissed look on her face.

"Well Bri, I was just telling this guy here that your _sister_ didn't wanna go back to some hotel with him. Then I was planning on taking her home and getting her some coffee." Brian nodded at him and shot a glare at the guy who looked like he was gonna run the other way. Tej pulled a mumbling Taylor towards him and led her out of the club after nodding goodbye to Mia.

Brian gave the guy one last look, taking Mia by the hand and leading her out onto the dance floor.

Tej walked into the empty hotel room and saw a note from Rayne lying on the bed. He picked it up to read.

Tej, enjoy the room you have all to your self. Hopefully by the time you read this I'll be half way back to Miami and starting the favor you asked me to do. If you need anything don't hesitate to call me. And try to have fun on the last night here! Rayne

He kicked off his shoes and lay down on the bed, exhausted. His closed his eyes for a moment before he grinned, pulling out of the wad of cash from his back pocket and began counting it.

"Screw the sheep."

* * *

A/N: sorry its taken so long! Please accept my apologises. Will try to update as much as I can but maybe a while before I can again. 

i had help writing this chapter also wasn't just me!

Thanks

SJ


	17. Marriage

**Chapter 17 - Marriage**

Friends are the family you chose, you can't choose your family but when it comes to friends you chose who should be in your extended family. Different reasons for different friends, some for convenience, some because you cant remember not ever having them around, some because they let you escape from the real world, they know the exact thing to say when things aren't going well, Tej and Rayne were Suki's extended family, but she had gone and done something stupid and it had all ended.

Suki sighed sat in the cab, her thoughts weren't exactly the best company, but she knew that's all the company she'd have for a while. Vegas had been a bust, she had stayed the three days as she was supposed to, not because she wanted to but because she didn't want to go back to face Tej and Rayne. Rayne had left the same night as her outburst and Tej had left the following day with Taylor. The team had stuck around and no one seemed to have a problem with her tagging along.

Suki had got in the same cab as Melissa and Roman and after dropping them off Suki was headed to Tej's knowing she would have to pack her bags and leave, she wasn't looking forward to this at all.

* * *

Tej starred out of the window and watched the cab pull up by the curb and Suki exit, he knew she was on her way Roman had texted him to warn him as he had asked him to.

Suki walked up the path to the house and didn't attempt to open the door she knocked and waited. Tej took a deep breath before walking to the front door, he opened it and she was already crying and his heart broke all over again. He hated seeing her cry, but she had bought it all on herself, he had no reason to feel sorry for her and he wasn't about to show her that he did.

He widened the door and she slowly stepped over the threshold to see 8 large boxes stacked at the bottom of the stairs "Rayne saved your stuff, I was just gonna throw it on the street but she packed it for you" he was lying, Tej had asked Rayne to pack all of Suki's things up so when he returned he wouldn't have to face seeing everything that reminded him of her.

"Tej, I'm so sorry…"

"Save it" he held his hand up to her "I don't wanna hear it"

"You can't just give up on me after everything"

"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO GAVE UP ON ME! THE SECOND THE THOUGHT OF ME AND RAYNE ENTERED YOUR MIND YOU GAVE UP ON US!"

Suki began to sob "I'm sorry Tej please I don't wanna lose you"

"Too late you've lost me, you can keep your job but you me and you we're done!"

"Please can we just talk…"

Tej cut her off "Get out before I change my mind about your job to"

Suki went to protest again but Tej walked in to the kitchen "don't you need my key?" she called after him

"I changed the lock!" Tej called back. Suki turned and looked at the half open front door and noticed the nice new shiny lock that now occupied it. Suki sighed picked up the first of the boxes and began to load them in to her car.

* * *

Roman, Melissa, Brian and Mia entered the house and put their bags at the bottom of the stairs. It had been a long weekend and they were all glad to be home. "Rayne" Brian called out wondering where she was, her car was in the drive but the house was quiet "Rayne you here?"

"Hey" Rayne called back from upstairs.

"Anyone want a drink?" Brian offered walking in to the kitchen, they all followed.

Brian made everyone coffee and they all sat around the table talking about the accident they had seen on the highway when Rayne entered the kitchen carrying a medium sized box.

"What are you doing?" Roman asked her as she went to the cupboard and took out her Winnie the Pooh mug.

"Getting the last of my shit" she explained checking the other cupboards to make sure she hadn't missed anything.

"The last of your shit?" Brian asked standing up and walking over to his sister and looking in to the box "Rayne what's going on?"

"What normally happens when someone's packing up all their shit?" She asked walking back over to her box and picking it up.

Brian stood in front of her "You're moving out?"

"And first prize goes to the smart ass cop!" she told him walking around him and towards the front door

Brian and Roman followed her "where are you going?"

Rayne placed the box by the front door and began to put on her trainers "to Tej's, he's the only one who treats me like a human. Melissa?" Rayne called standing up once her trainers were done up. Melissa walked to the kitchen door "my room's free now, you can have it, I imagine an en-suite bathroom would be good for a pregnant woman, so when you get **fat** and your ankle's swell, its not so far to **waddle**, I mean walk to" Rayne sarcastically smiled picked up her box and walked out of the front door.

Brian and Roman chased after her "come on Rayne you cant be serious" Roman spoke up

"I'm deadly serious. I can't stand to be around either of you anymore! I can't wait to get the fuck out of here and away from you two!" Rayne slammed down her trunk and walked to the driver door of her car.

Brian grabbed her arm "wait" before Brian knew it Rayne had spun out of his grasp and pushed him, making him lose his balance and fall on to the lawn "DON'T EVER PUT YOUR HANDS ON ME BRIAN!" Rayne told him through gritted teeth before getting in to her car and speeding off.

She saw Roman help Brian up and watch her drive away. God that felt good! She was sick of being walked all over, she had meant what she said in Vegas she was looking after number 1 and it felt damn good!

* * *

**Two weeks later…**

The first week back at work after the Las Vegas trip was the hardest of Tej's life. He was doing everything he could to avoid looking or talking to Suki or even acknowledging her existence. He'd even subjected himself to sitting in his office doing "paper work".

Tej had thought he'd be coming back to work the happiest man in the world, engaged to Suki, planning a wedding, planning the rest of their lives together. Telling the rest of their friends, getting all the congratulations, but it wasn't anything like he had expected. He wasn't talking to Suki; he could barely stand to look at her. The disappointment and sadness of the weekend's events had passed; he was pissed off now, as angry as a pit-bull who had eaten a wasp.

The second week was a little easier but everyone was on egg shells around Tej and Suki, everyone knew what had gone down in Vegas, word traveled fast, they had heard the long sordid, exaggerated details of Suki's outburst, about Tej throwing her out and Rayne moving in. Tej was glad Suki had been told that Rayne had moved in, he knew it would make her angry and maybe even believe what she had thought about the two of them. The only thing that had kept him going all week was races were coming up. The phrase "Thank Fuck its Friday" had never been more appropriate.

Brian entered the office and cleared his throat to get Tej's attention; Tej looked up and then down again as Roman entered the office to. "How you feelin man?" Roman inquired

"Like a million bucks, you?" they weren't there to ask how he was doing, they had laid off the subject of Rayne moving in with him all week and knew they had both being dying to say something about it.

"This must be real hard for you…" Brian began

Tej wasn't in the mood and interrupted "it was either me or Watkins" he sighed looking up at them, Brian frowned "Rayne" Tej explained "it was either her move in with me or move in with him and all of his bull shit, I thought I was the better option"

"How's she doin?" Roman asked "she's been ignoring our calls, haven't seen her around either"

"You blame her?" Taylor asked walking in to the office and leaning over the desk to kiss Tej's cheek "she moved out to get away from the two of you why would she answer your calls? Take a hint. Ready?" Taylor asked Tej not giving Brian or Roman chance to respond. Tej stood up and walked around the desk to Taylor leaving Brian and Roman to watch them leave.

* * *

Suki wasn't looking forward to races one bit, but she knew she had to go, she had to put on her best outfit, look like a million bucks and show Tej what he was missing. She was determined if nothing else to win him back, whatever it took.

Seeing Taylor and Tej leave together that afternoon hadn't been easy for her, they had only been gone an hour and half she figured they had gone for lunch, but it made Suki furious, she wanted to tear out all the pretty little hairs on Taylor's head, break everyone one of her perfectly manicured fingers, but she couldn't, she had no right to. Even if Taylor and Tej were an item, which she knew they weren't, she had no right to feel as angry as she did.

Suki was the one who had messed up, Suki had made the mistake, and if Tej wanted to sleep with the entire population of Miami she couldn't and wouldn't say a word. If she wanted to win him back she had to be cleverer than that, keep a clear head, but it was going to be easier said than done.

It was obvious Taylor would be at races, she had been attached to Tej at races the last two weeks so tonight wasn't going to be any different but Suki was going to grin and bare it.

Tej wasn't the only one she had to worry about tonight, Rayne hadn't been at races since they had been back in Miami but she had over heard Tej talking to her on the phone earlier in the day and he said he would see her at races. The first showdown with Rayne was inevitable but Suki wasn't about to let it stop her doing the things she had always done.

* * *

Rayne drove through the crowd of racers, slowly, being careful not to hit any of the half dressed racer chasers who guessed they could do more damage to a car than it could do to them therefore stood in the way and didn't move till the car was practically touching them.

Rayne drove to the front of the crowd where Tej had 'reserved' her a parking spot. Rayne parked the 1994 Honda Civic in her designated spot. She had had the car about 2 weeks and she loved it, she'd had the paint job done that day and loved it. It was black with sky blue rain drops all over, going in to ripples at the bottom of the car, it looked amazing.

Everyone was waiting at the starting line like 6 feet from where she had parked, Tej, Roman, Brian, Mia, Dom, Vince, Leon, Letty, Jesse, Suki, Taylor and Melissa. She could see everyone checking out the car, not knowing who it was as the windows where blacked out.

Rayne took a deep breath and opened the car door; this was going to be fun.

Rayne stood up straight before closing the car door and all eyes were on her, everyone looked at her from head to toe, she was wearing black shorts, not to tight, not to loose just right, a black low cut top and stiletto shoes she saw Roman's mouth instantly drop open and Melissa scold him for it. Tej walked over to her, hugged her and kissed her cheek "missed you girly" Tej told her "you have fun in Mexico?"

"Amazing" Rayne told him "you should see the color of the water over there, it's gorgeous" Tej and Rayne walked over to everyone whilst talking.

"Hey" Brian said looking at her

"Hi bro" Rayne smiled

Before Brian could respond or ask her anything Jesse, Leon and Vince were at her side "shit is that your car?" Jesse asked her

Rayne smiled "yeah, isn't she gorgeous?"

Rayne followed as Jesse, Leon and Vince walked over to check out her car, Jesse began asking her all the specifications of her car and to Brian and Roman's surprise she answered all his questions correctly "that's carrying some serious shit!" Vince admired.

"I got bored of my Skyline…wanted something different and that's exactly what that car is"

"Who did the paint job?" Leon asked as Roman, Tej, Brian and Dom joined the admiring party.

"One of Watkins friends"

The guys took it in turns to walk around the car and check it out "how can you afford all this?" Roman asked

"How do you afford all the shit on your car?" she glared at him and he didn't bother pushing the question.

"Are we gonna get this started or what?" Tej asked. Everyone began to walk away from Rayne's car to get ready for the race.

* * *

Dom banged on the door a little harder, he knew she was in there, both cars were in the drive and he could hear the music blaring from upstairs. She clearly hadn't heard the door knock and he had called her cell but the music was too loud for her to hear that to. He tried the handle and to his surprise the door was unlocked so he let himself in.

"Rayne" he called but got no response. "Damn it girl turn your music down" he began to climb the stairs. He could hear Rayne singing along to the music and knew she still hadn't realized he was in the house, he could have been anyone and she wouldn't have known till it was too late.

Her bedroom door was half open and he could see her stood in her underwear doing a little dance whilst she dried her hair he cleared his throat, nothing, she didn't hear him, so he knocked on the door.

Rayne's heat shot to look at the door and Dom saw the relief in her face when she saw it was him "shit Dom, scare a girl much?"

"I've been knocking the door for almost 20 minutes and I've called your cell" he told her walking to the CD player to turn the music down.

Rayne walked to her night stand and picked up her phone and saw she had three missed calls "sorry world of my own" Dom was kind surprised she hadn't reached for any clothes yet, her jeans and top were laid out on the bed ready for her to get dressed yet she had made no attempt to put them on "Dom" Rayne called a little louder pulling his attention from looking at her clothes.

Dom shook his head a little and looked up at her, her bra and pants were a nice set, looked expensive to, a lacy number black and red, she had an amazing body, it occurred to Dom in that moment he had seen Rayne numerous times in a bathing suite or bikini yet she looked different right now "Tej isn't here what you need?" she inquired knowing exactly what he had come for.

"I know" he smiled "I've come to talk to you"

Rayne smiled sweetly "about what?" she played dumb.

Dom made himself comfortable on the edge of her bed as she went back to finishing her hair in the mirror "you did good last night" he admired her ass whilst he spoke "racing Letty for pinks was a bold move"

"I won didn't I? I wouldn't have raced if I didn't think I could win"

"Thing is, you raced her for pinks and that car belongs to me and I need it back"

"Well you should keep your girl in check. Don't let her go running around with pinks that don't belong to her"

"I need the car back" Dom told her getting to the point of his visit.

"That's not how the racing world works now is it, Dom? If it was anyone else who had won then you wouldn't go to them and ask for the car back would you?"

Dom smiled "no your right but I thought…"

Rayne cut his sentence short "you thought Rayne being as nice as she is would give you the car back no questions asked right?" she turned to look at him

Dom stood up from the bed "yeah I guess I did"

Rayne picked the keys up from her dresser and walked towards him "well you can have the car back" she dangled the keys in front of him, Dom reached out to take them and she snatched them back "on one condition"

"Name your price"

Rayne smiled at him and lifted her eyebrows in a suggestive way "carefully what you promise a girl" Dom cleared his throat and took a step back only then realizing how close they were. "I want you to teach me to drive"

"Why?" Dom inquired

"I wanna race, make a little extra cash" she said crossing the room and picking up her jeans from the bed and began to put them on.

Dom nodded "but we do it my way, meet when and where I tell you and no being late or fucking around"

"Yes Mr. Torretto" Rayne saluted him, he sounded like a teacher. She threw him the keys and he caught them "now piss off I've got a date" she pulled her top over her head.

"With Watkins?" Dom asked

"Yeah, and he'll be here any minute now" she told him crossing the room picking up her bag from the dresser on the way. Dom followed her out of the room and down the stairs.

"Rayne" Dom began walking to the front door and putting his hand on the handle ready to open it, he turned his head to look at her sat on the stairs putting on her boots. "You know you can do a lot better than Watkins right? I mean, you know he's sleeping with Jessica don't you?"

Rayne laughed "yes Dom I know, but I don't plan on marrying the guy and who says I'm only seeing him to?"

"Just don't let him fuck you around"

She stood up and adjusted her jeans so they fell over her boots "if I wanted a concerned brother figure I'd be talking to Brian"

"Point taken" he told her opening the door and leaving.

* * *

Tej stood staring at the piece of paper in his hand that Taylor had just handed to him. Taylor was always playing practical jokes on him but this document looked so real, professional, plus when he read the top line of the paper all the memories came flooding back to him like a tsunami.

Taylor stood watching him, letting all the information register with him. Vegas was a drunken blur to Taylor but when she put on her jeans that morning and placed her hand in the back pocket and felt the piece of paper it was like a hammer hitting her head as the memory returned to her. Vegas, what do people do in Vegas, drunk, gamble, and get married, at least that's what Taylor and Tej had done.

"I don't remember being that drunk that I wouldn't remember straight away" Tej said aloud

"There was a lot going on with Suki and what not" Taylor reminded him "you were drunk, we both were. You sobered up when you got me away from that guy"

"I remember doing it now" he sat on the edge of his desk. Tej began to laugh, he had to see the funny side of things, this was funny, hilarious in fact "well I did go to Vegas to get engaged, but I came back married" he told Taylor through his laughter. Taylor began to laugh to.

Rayne entered the office to see her two friends laughing "nice to see a smile on his face" Rayne told Taylor pointing at Tej.

"You'd be smiling to if you were married to her" Tej laughed walking out of the office.

"Did I miss something?" Rayne inquired frowning at her half sister.

"I'll explain all over lunch" Taylor told her linking arms with her and walking out of the office.

* * *

**A/N:** I realize it has been a long while since I update this and I apologise for that but I've had a major case of writers block and it doesn't seem to be clearing.

I could really do with some help with regards to writing and idea as to where to take this story so anything would be appreciated!!

Hope this chapter isn't to bad and fits in with the flow.

Thanks for reading

SJ

Any ideas/help e-mail me pls and put fanfic in the subject box so I know! Thanks.


	18. Fade Into The Background

**Chapter 18 - Fade in to the Background**

**Three Months Later…**

The church was full, so much so that people were standing up at the side of the pews, everyone had their eyes facing forward watching the happy couple exchange their vows, holding one another's hands and smiling repeating what they were told to say.

The dress fit perfectly and hid the small baby bump that was now beginning to show. The tux he wore was fitted flawlessly to his frame, highlighting his biceps and ass, Rayne appreciated that small fact.

Mia and Letty looked amazing in their bridesmaids outfits and Rayne was shocked Letty had actually gone through with wearing a dress. The two other bridesmaids, Ayisha and Lisa looked just as beautiful, Brian as the best man wore a similar tux to Roman and they both looked dashing.

Rayne was sat in the second row in between Dom and Vince and was trying her hardest not to cry watching Roman and Melissa exchange their vows. She was breathing deeply fighting the tears that threatened to fall. Dom noticed she was tense so clasped her hand in his and gave it a light squeeze.

Rayne's mind wondered to two months before when Roman had told her he and Melissa were getting married. Their "nightly Rayne" sessions had begun again not long after coming back from Las Vegas although they now met at the beach and sat on the sand in the dark listening to the waves crash down whilst they talked or got intimate.

Rayne knew immediately something was up when Roman excited his car as he hesitated a few minutes before walking on the sand to her. He had explained Melissa's parents had come to visit their daughter and after discovering Roman and Melissa had no intentions of being married Melissa's father had pulled Roman aside and assured him if his daughter didn't have a ring on her finger the moment their child was born he would see to it himself that Roman would not see his child. And being one of the most respected lawyers in Miami he could follow through with this threat.

Rayne had to admit she never thought Roman would go through with it but obviously she had been wrong, and she was impressed how quickly Melissa had planned this beautiful wedding.

* * *

At the reception Rayne had found a table at the back and faded in the background. She could see Roman trying to make his way over to her a few times but every time he made a move someone stopped him to congratulate him. They had made eye contact a few times and Rayne had lightly smiled at him not knowing what else to do.

When the speeches & toasts began Rayne made a sharp exit and stood outside in the fresh Miami night air. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of the wind blowing her hair around and the chill in the air making her shiver slightly.

She felt the jacket caress her skin before opening her eyes "You wanna get out of here?" Dom asked placing the jacket over her shoulders.

"Would love to" Rayne smiled at him half heartedly as he led the way to his car.

* * *

"You want a coffee?" Rayne asked placed her hand bag and keys on the counter in the kitchen.

Dom followed her in the kitchen "yeah thanks" Rayne pressed the button on the machine and then retrieved two coffee mugs from the cupboard and placed them on the counter. "Rayne we need to talk about the other day"

Rayne chuckled "don't worry Dom I'm not some racer chaser looking for a relationship" she ran her hands over her face. "Everyone knows you and Letty are going through a rough patch so I just thought…" Rayne told him walking towards him and placing her hands on his chest "we can just help each other out when one of us needs it." Dom tensed at her touch but relaxed as she moved her hand up his torso and tiptoed to kiss his lips softly "no harm in that is there?" Rayne asked her lips millimeters from his. Dom didn't answer he picked her up and placed her on the kitchen top before continuing to kiss her.

* * *

Rayne entered the kitchen in her pajamas and sat at the table where Tej was sat on his laptop. She stole his coffee mug and took a sip "you left early last night"

"You really think I was gonna hang around longer than I had to? I showed my face, I smiled and acted happy I did my part. Dom bought me home."

"I know, I saw him leave this morning" Tej flashed her a look from the computer screen before going back to it.

"And your point?" Rayne asked taking the coffee mug to the machine and filling it up again

"you're playing with fire" he warned

"Oh give it a rest Tej you sound like…"

"HEY" Tej interrupted her, Rayne looked shocked Tej never shouted at anyone let alone a friend. Tej took a deep breath "Rayne the way you've been acting lately I'm fast becoming your only friend, I get that Suki, Brian and Roman pissed you off I get it I really do and I'm totally down with you living here to get away from it all, but you're someone completely different lately YOU'VE GOT WHAT 3 GUYS ON THE GO? if I'm being honest I don't like who your turning in to, THIS ISNT YOU, YOUR NOT sOME CHEAP RACER CHASER YOUR BETTER THAN THAT! Dom is a bad idea, what if Letty finds out?" Rayne shrugged tears in her eyes "so cause your life's shit at the moment Letty has to suffer to is that it?"

"No" Rayne replied quietly.

"So knock it off with Dom already! God Rayne your not you anymore! You're looking after number 1 everyone gets that you can stop trying to prove a point now, just be you, please"

Rayne nodded tears falling from her eyes freely now "I'm sorry I…"

"I know your hurting, Rome married Melissa and we all know it should have been you up there in your white dress with him but that cars been crushed its time to move on and find a new car, a new single, available car or just be alone for a while."

"I will. I'm sorry Tej." She wanted to change the subject and fast "how's things with Taylor?" since finding out they had married in Vegas Tej and Taylor had been spending a lot of time together.

"We're taking it slow"

"I'm gonna get ready for work" Rayne said walking towards the kitchen door

"Rayne" Tej called, she stopped and turned back "come here" he said walking towards her and hugging her.

Rayne continued out of the kitchen and realized Tej was right maybe it was time to just start fading in to the background, take a back seat and just chill for a while.

* * *

Roman rolled over in his bed and saw Melissa sleeping soundly beside him, his wife. They had no money for a honeymoon so today was a normal day Roman was going to work and Melissa was going apartment shopping with her mother.

_This is your life Roman Pearce. Husband to a woman you don't live, father to be to a baby your not 100% is yours, and madly in love with a woman you've been having an affair with for the passed two months!_

Roman sighed heavily, he hated his life, less than a year ago he was so happy, with Rayne, completely happy, over the moon, ecstatic, excited for the future, and now where was he? Forced to marry a woman 80% of the time he couldn't stand to be in the same room with. What went wrong?

Melissa stirred and turned over to face him "Morning hubby" she smiled happily.

"Hey" he smiled slightly.

Melissa sat up and kissed him on the cheek "I gotta get ready for house shopping with mom"

"Lissa I'm not sure about letting your mom and dad buying us a place."

"Don't be silly they want to help us out" Melissa said walking toward the bathroom door.

Roman wasn't sure how much more of this he could take? He wanted to be there for his child, if it was in fact his child but he didn't want to be married to Melissa. He had to get out of all this somehow?

* * *

a/n: sorry took so long to update. probably be a while before i update again to. unless anyone has any ideas where i can take this?

please review.


	19. Never Ending Story

**Chapter 19 – Never Ending Story**

Rayne cradled the small child in her arms, gently stroking the soft almost white blonde hair on the Childs head, she didn't realize she was crooning until the arms wrapped around her waist and the culprit began to sing the same tune along with her.

The waist hugger gently kissed her neck and then leant his chin on her shoulder so he could stare at the gorgeous child to. "He's perfect"

Rayne's eyes clouded with tears like they had a few hundred times before ever since Mason had been born 3 weeks before. "10 toes, 10 fingers, a little button nose, two perfectly shaped lips, my ears-thank god" she laughed "two small beautiful blue eyes and his dad's complexion"

"Perfect" he confirmed "come on let's take him to see his uncle's and aunt's"

Rayne sighed, she didn't want to go back and introduce Mason to his family, she wanted to keep him all to herself and his father, she wanted to lock the front door on the beach front property close the blinds, lock the windows and just spend eternity with her son and her husband. "Can we not just stay here?"

Her husband laughed "its not going to be that bad" he insisted "the dust has settled everything is sorted out now, nothings doing to happen, we're going to take Mason introduce him to Brian, Mia, Suki, Tej, Dom, the whole team, their going to fall in love with him as much as we have and we're going to catch up and reminisce and show them our wedding album, tell them all about the trouble this little man gave us before he arrived, tell them all about the business, how happy we are, how much we love living here…"

"Ok, ok" Rayne interrupted him; she could have recited the speech with him as he had had to give her the same speech more than once in the last month and half.

Rayne knew she was being selfish by keeping Mason all to herself, but the last year and half she had spent in Cancun just her and her man, no racing, no racer chasers, no drama, no team, no money worries, nothing to come in-between them it had been utter bliss. The 9 months and two weeks of her pregnancy had been hard with complications and false alarms but she had still been on cloud nine and she didn't want anything to bring her down and returning to Miami and mixing with all the old crowd seemed like it was asking for trouble.

"I promise you Rayne Pearce that nothing will go wrong" Roman told her taking her free hand and leading his wife who held his son out of the room smiling. He was going to get to show off his new family.

* * *

_**A year and a half before…**_

Rayne placed the plate on the table in front of the customer and smiled "anything else I can get you?" she asked politely, _please say no, please say no. _

"No we're good thanks" Rayne smiled and walked away from the booth quickly before they changed their mind.

Rayne had got a call that morning from Marcus asking if she could run the diner for the day as Sarah and two other waitresses had got flu and couldn't go in to work. Rayne had agreed and it now being 5pm and the dinner closing in half an hour, Rayne was now regretting her decision plus she still had the agro of facing Roman and Suki.

There were four customers in the diner and all had their food and were eating, Rayne finally got a chance to take a break and sat at the bar with glass of ice cold Pepsi. "You ok?" Candice asked her sitting beside her. Candice had quickly become Rayne's friend after Rayne had started at her second job. When Rayne realized she wouldn't be able to run the diner alone she called Candice who had agreed to come and help her.

"Tired" Rayne smiled lightly "I didn't get much sleep last night"

"You still not spoke to him?"

"No, had my phone off all day to"

"You can't put if off any longer" Candice told her before walking towards the newly vacated table.

Rayne knew she was right. Eventually Rayne would find out whether Roman had had a son or a daughter with his wife!

* * *

Rayne sat at the bar doing to paper work for the day, it had been years since she had worked there but was surprised at how much she remembered. The day was over and everyone had gone home except Rayne, she didn't want Shelia to go back to a pile of paper work so was doing it for her.

As Rayne punched numbers in the calculator, the tears rolled down her cheeks she didn't bother wiping them away and let them drop to the counter leaving little wet puddles.

A bang on the front door made her jump and she quickly turned to see the culprit was Roman, he was standing at the door of the dinner with a half smile on his face.

Rayne contemplated ignoring him and going back to the paperwork but knew he wouldn't leave until she spoke to him. There was no point in putting it off anymore. It was do or die, it was now or never, ride or die.

Rayne jumped down from the stool she was sat on and took the keys from her pocket as she crossed the diner and opened the door for Roman to enter.

Roman walked in and Rayne slowly closed and locked the door behind him, she took a few deep breathes before she turned to look at him.

"Rome" Rayne began turning to face him but stopped when she saw the tears streaming down his cheeks "Are you…" Roman caught her face in his hands and her lips with hers cutting her off. Rayne kissed him back for a second before she pushed him away

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry I just…" Roman began Rayne passed him and sat back on the bar stool. Roman began to pace up and down in front of her. "God I don't even know where to start"

"How about your married and your wife is in labour yet you're here with me?"

"Ok" Roman took a deep breath "I was at the hospital, her mom and dad were there and then her sister shows up, with Melissa's newly released from prison husband!"

"What?" Rayne had to laugh, Roman's smile couldn't have been bigger, Roman began to laugh to. After a couple of minutes of laughing "so what does all this mean?" Rayne asked.

"it means a couple things, one I'm technically not married, its nil and void as she's already married, two her sister is quite sure with timings and what not that the baby is her realm husbands and not mine, three it means I can finally have what I want, that is if you'll have me?" he looked at Rayne expectantly "I know I messed up, I know its going to take a lot to get things right and I know none of it will happen over night but Rayne you know you're the only person I want, the only one I've ever wanted, I want to be with you again" he told her walking closer to her.

Rayne smiled "lets get out of here, start fresh somewhere"

"Deal" Roman told her kissing her passionately and this time she didn't push him away.

Rayne let the tears roll down her face, this all she had wanted, this was what she had wanted since day 1, since the moment he kissed her in the kitchen. This is all she wanted her and Roman; it didn't matter where they were as long as they were together.

"I've gotta make a couple stops first" Rayne told him grabbing her bag off the counter.

* * *

Rayne raced down the path towards Roman in the waiting car, she jumped in to the passenger seat and closed the door "one last stop and we're out of there" she said as Roman pulled away from the curb.

Rayne had dropped the diner keys back to Marcus, she had been to Tej and packed a few things she couldn't live without, sentimental things, Roman told her she could buy new clothes wherever they ended up there was just one last thing Rayne needed to do before her and Roman started their new life somewhere else.

Roman stopped outside the house and Rayne leaned over to kiss him "give me 5 minutes"

* * *

Rayne knocked quickly on the door hoping it sounded urgent, it didn't take long for the door to open and Suki looked shocked to see Rayne standing in front of her.

"Suki, you're an idiot" Rayne began and held her hand up when Suki opened her mouth to interrupt "I don't have time to argue. I love you, your great when you're not an idiot; Tej loves you and misses you and I'm guessing now that your pregnant you two should give it a go!"

"How do you know?" Suki asked looking down at her still flat stomach

"I'm your best friend; I'm supposed to know these things without you telling me. Now stop being an idiot and tell Tej, work it out with him" Rayne jumped up the step in to the door hugged Suki and then turned on her heels "Me and Rome are leaving. I'll call you when we get somewhere" Before Suki could reply Rayne darted down the path and got in to Roman's car.

"You ready for this?" Roman asked her as she fastened her seatbelt

"I've been ready for the happy ending of our story since day one Rome"

"This isn't the end, ours is a never ending story" Roman smiled before leaning over and kissing her passionately.

* * *

A/N: This folks will be the last chapter. Have left it a little open in case i decide to write another or carry on this one but I just dont have the time at the moment with working and volunteering for my local animal charity.

Hope you enjoyed it and please review.

Thanks for reading.

SJ


End file.
